EASTON, Pa. – Lafayette baseball used timely hitting and strong pitching to sweep a doubleheader against rival Lehigh, winning game one, 8-1, and game two, 3-1, on Saturday at Legacy Park.

The Leopards struck first just five batters into the game, as sophomore Matt Colella laced a two-run single to center field, scoring senior Easton Brenner and freshman Alex Barrist and giving Lafayette a 2-0 lead.

The Maroon and White added to their lead in the second, as junior Bode Grieve blasted his first collegiate home run. Later in the frame, senior Michael Zarrillo slapped a two-run double to left field to extend the Lafayette advantage to 5-0.

The Leopards added another run to their tally in third, when freshman Jack Mislan scored on a wild pitch. In the fourth, Colella drew a walk with the bases loaded and sophomore Ryan Grace hit an RBI-groundout to shortstop, bringing the score to 8-0i n the 8-1 final.

Junior Trace Florio earned his first win of the season, tossing a complete game, giving up a run and working around four hits, while striking out five. Cole Leaman took the loss, pitching 3.0 innings, giving up eight runs on eight hits with four strikeouts. 

Unlike game one, game two was a pitcher's duel, scoreless into the bottom of the third when Lehigh's Aiden Quinn hit an RBI-double to left field to hand the Mountain Hawks a 1-0 lead.

The Leopards knotted up the game, 1-1, in the fourth. Brenner placed a bunt single in front of the pitcher's mound that could not be fielded cleanly and Barrist scored, tying the game.

In the fifth, Grieve gave the Leopards the lead, scoring on a wild pitch. Then the Maroon and White added an insurance run in the sixth, when Mislan blooped an RBI-single to center field that drove in Brenner for the 3-1 rally. 

Senior Mike Romano pitched a scoreless seventh, locking up the 3-1 win for Lafayette.

Sophomore Tristan Helmick earned his second win of the season, pitching 6.0 innings, giving up seven hits, a run and striking out five. Romano collected his second save of the season, pitching a one-two-three seventh inning. Liam O'Hearen took the loss, going 6.0 innings, surrendering five hits, three runs and recording three strikeouts.

The Leopards close out their series against Lehigh on Sunday at 12 pm.