EASTON, Pa - The Lafayette baseball team opened Patriot League play at Kamine Stadium on Saturday by dropping a doubleheader to Army in two hard-fought close games, 4-3 in game one and 15-11 in game two.

The Lafayette Nine got on the board first in game one. In the bottom of the first, freshman Jack Mislan ripped an RBI-double to left center field. Later in the frame, freshman Alex Barrist drove in senior Micheal Zarrillo on a sacrifice bunt to make the score 2-0.

Army struck back in the third on an RBI-single by Thomas Schrek, bringing the tally to 2-1. In the fifth, Lafayette extended its lead to 3-1 as junior Ryan Ulisse drove in Mislan on an RBI-single to left field.

The Black Knights took the lead in sixth on an RBI-single to right field by Addison Ainsworth and a two-run home run by William Parker to take a 4-3 advantage, which proved to be the final.

Justin Lehman earned the win, tossing 5.0 innings, giving up three runs on 10 hits and striking out two. Robbie Penswick collected the save, throwing 2.0 scoreless innings. Senior Joe Skapinetz took the loss, pitching 7.0 innings, while allowing four runs on six hits with nine strikeouts.

In game two, Army jumped out to a 5-0 lead, scoring a run in the first and the second and three runs in the third.

Lafayette responded in the third with a solo home run by Liam Ebbs, which brought the score to 5-1. The home run was the first collegiate home run for Ebbs.

The Leopards again scored in the fourth as sophomore Teddy Cashman lined an RBI-single to right field,  cutting the Army lead to 5-2.

Army scored two more runs in the fifth, but the Maroon and White countered in the bottom of the inning as senior Easton Brenner hit his third home run of the year, bringing the score to 7-4.

Lafayette again matched the Black Knights, as Army scored a run in the top of the sixth and the Leopards struck back with an RBI-double to left center field by junior Bode Grieve, making the score 8-5.

The Black Knights added two more runs to their lead in the seventh to hold a 10-5 advantage.

The Lafayette offense came alive in the eighth, scoring six runs and taking an 11-10 lead.  Brenner slashed an RBI-single to third base, Zarrillo blooped a two-run single down the left field line and Barrist gave the Maroon and White the lead on a two-run single to left field.

Army took back the lead back in the ninth on a three-run home run by Parker and a two-run home run by Jack Quinlan, making the final score 15-11.
Trey Ates collected the win, working 1.1 innings, giving up four hits and three runs, while striking out two. Ben Waterman was handed the loss after surrendering two runs on two hits.

The Maroon and White will host Holy Cross on Sunday for a doubleheader at 12 p.m.