WORCESTER, Mass. – Lafayette baseball dropped two hard-fought, back-and-forth contests against Holy Cross, falling 4-1 in game one and 8-5 in game two at Fitton Field.

Holy Cross wasted no time taking the lead in the weekend opener. The Crusaders used a two-run home run by Chris Baillargeon to lead 3-0 in the first inning. 

Lafayette cut the Crusaders' lead to 3-2 in the third as Jack Mislan blasted a two-run home run over the center field fence, his sixth of the season.

Holy Cross added on a run in the fourth, a solo home run by Brandon Jones, making the score 4-2.

In the fifth, with sophomore Teddy Cashman on third, freshman Alex Barrist lined an RBI-single to right field, to bring the tally to 4-3, which proved to be the final.

Danny Macchiarola collected the win, working 6.0 innings, giving up four hits and three runs. Luke LeMond earned the save, throwing a scoreless inning and recording a strikeout. Senior Joe Skapinetz took the loss, pitching 4.1 innings, surrendering four runs on six hits and striking out five.

In the nightcap, after three scoreless innings, senior Michael Zarrillo laced an RBI-double into the left center field gap to give the Leopards a 1-0 advantage. In the bottom of the frame, Jimmy King tied the game 1-1 on an RBI-single.

Lafayette quickly took back the lead in the fifth as junior Ethan Swidler hit an RBI-single to right field and Barrist hit a sacrifice fly to give Lafayette a 3-1 lead. The Leopards extended their lead in the seventh when Barrist again drove in a run, this time via an RBI-single to center field, making the score 4-1.

In the bottom of the inning, Holy Cross cut the Lafayette lead to 4-3.The Crusaders took lead in the eighth with a five-run outburst, as King delivered an RBI-single, Sean Scanlon hit a two-run home run, Connor Peek hit a solo home run and John LaFleur had an RBI-single, bringing the score to 8-4.

Lafayette was able to push a run across the plate in the ninth on an RBI-groundout by Swidler, but the Leopards were unable to score again in the 8-5 final. 

Jake Lenahan collected the win, tossing 3.0 innings, giving up two runs on three hits and striking out three. Senior Mike Romano took the loss, working one inning, surrendering five runs and six hits, while recording two strikeouts. Lafayette sophomore starter Tristan Helmick threw 6.1 innings and struck out seven.

The Leopards close out their series against Holy Cross on Sunday with a single game at 1 p.m.