EASTON, Pa. – The Lafayette baseball team dropped both ends of a Patriot League doubleheader against Lehigh on Saturday at Kamine Stadium, losing the opener, 3-2, and the night cap, 8-7.

The Leopards celebrated Senior Day today, honoring nine members of the Class of 2026. On Friday, Lafayette defeated the Mountain Hawks in the opening game of the four-game series, 4-2, striking out 19 batters in the win.

In the first contest, the Leopards jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning when Boden Fernsler launched a two-run home run to left field, scoring Matt Colella. However, the Lehigh offense responded late, behind a solo home run from Aidan Quinn in the sixth and a two-run home run by Cadeyrn Ahearn, to take a 3-2 lead in the seventh, which proved to be the final.

Lafayette starter Gregory Quintana took the loss, allowing three runs on five hits, while striking out seven over 6.2 innings of work. Lehigh's Sam Fairhurst earned the win, throwing a complete game and surrendering only three hits.

The second game saw a back-and-forth battle that featured 23 combined hits. Lafayette took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning when Brandon Doubek drove in Alex Barrist with a sacrifice bunt.

After Lehigh took a brief lead, 2-1, scoring a run in the second and the third, the Leopards leveled the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the third as Barrist walked, stole second, and was driven home by a Will Dobil RBI-single. However, Lehigh's offense responded with for runs over the next six innings to build a 6-2 advantage.

The Leopards began their comeback in the eighth inning. Colella singled and stole second, setting the stage for Doubek, who launched a two-run home run to left field to cut the deficit to 6-4. Lehigh answered with two insurance runs in the top of the ninth, extending its lead to 8-4.

Lafayette mounted a final rally in the ninth. Teddy Cashman scored on a wild pitch, followed by Dobil crossing the plate on another wild pitch, to cut the deficit to two. Fernsler then doubled to center field to drive in Doubek and push the Leopards within one run. The comeback fell just short, as the Leopards could not drive another run across the plate and the game ended with an 8-7 final score.

Alex Payne was credited with the loss after giving up three runs on six hits in 3.0 innings. Cole Leaman secured the win, striking out 10 batters across six innings, while Declan Wilkes earned the save, despite allowing three runs in the final 1.1 frames.

Lafayette will next host Lehigh for a single game on Sunday starting at noon.