Leading Off
 
Lafayette opens Patriot League play this weekend hosting Army on Saturday for a doubleheader and Holy Cross for a doubleheader on Sunday.
 
Preseason Honors
 
Junior Ethan Swidler was named to the Preseason All-Patriot League Team. Last year, the 2024 First-Team All-Patriot League selection batted a team-best .327, along with clubbing nine home runs. Swidler was also selected as the Preseason Patriot League Player of the Year by D1Baseball.com
 
Patriot League Awards
 
Senior outfielder Easton Brenner earned Patriot League Baseball Player of the Week honors on Feb. 17. Brenner batted .700 (7-for-10) during the Leopards' series at Southern Miss. The Houston, Texas. native had five RBIs, seven hits, three doubles, a home run and he reached base 11 times in Hattiesburg. The Economics and Policy Studies major slugged 1.300 and recorded a .781 on-base percentage on the week.
 
The Leopards
 
On Wednesday, the Leopards traveled to Penn State for a mid-week non-conference game. Junior Ethan Swidler, junior Ryan Ulisse and junior Bode Grieve all had multi-hit games in the 5-3 win over the Nittany Lions. Ulisse gave the Maroon and White the lead in the seventh on a two-run double down the left field line. Freshman Trey Zaffiro earned his first collegiate win, working 6.0 innings, surrendering two runs on four hits and striking out four. Senior Mike Romano earned the save, pitching 2.0 innings while giving up two hits and a run with a strikeout. The win against Penn State is the first over a Power Five conference school since the Leopards beat Notre Dame, 10-2, in 2017 and the first win over a current Big Ten opponent since Lafayette defeated Maryland, 7-2, in 2007. Lafayette last beat Penn State in 1990, a 7-5 victory.
 
Next Up
 
The Leopards host Delaware for a Liberty Bell Classic quarterfinal on Tuesday and then will travel to rival Lehigh to start a four-game series on Friday.
 
The Black Knights
 
Army Comes into this weekend with a 6-11 record and a 1-2 mark in the Patriot League. Last time out the Black Knights defeated Manie, 14-4, Mark Abell recorded three hits and a team-best four RBIs. Addison Ainsworth had three hits and three RBIs. Walker Calvo earned the win for Army. The Black Knights are led in batting by Ainsworth with a .317 average and 17 RBIs. On the mound, Justin Lehman has a team-best 3.03 Era along with 19 strikeouts in 29.2 innings pitched.
 
The Crusaders
 
Holy Cross dropped its last contest to UMass Lowell, 8-7, on Wednesday. The Crusaders are paced in batting by Jimmy King, with a .368 average. King has 28 hits and a team-high 16 RBIs. Sean Scanlon leads the Crusaders with two home runs. Danny Macchiarola has three wins, 27 strikeouts and a 4.13 ERA on 28.1 innings pitched.