WEST POINT, N.Y. — The Lafayette baseball team dropped both halves of a Patriot League doubleheader to Army at Doubleday Field on Sunday, falling 6-3 in the opener before enduring a heartbreaking 10-9 walk-off defeat in the nightcap.
In game one, Army took control in the bottom of the second inning after a throwing error by Lafayette allowed the inning to continue. Josiah Overbeek capitalized, launching a three-run home run to right-center field to give the Black Knights a 3-0 lead. Army extended the margin to 6-0 in the third inning behind an RBI-sacrifice fly from Zac Farrell and a two-run double by David Dubrule.
Lafayette finally broke through in the top of the fourth.
Brandon Doubek sparked the offense with a double down the right-field line and was promptly driven home by an RBI-double from
Boden Fernsler, to make the score 6-1. The Leopards threatened again in the fifth when
Luke Caucci singled and stole second, followed by a walk to
Alex Barrist, but they were unable to capitalize.
In the top of the seventh, the Leopards mounted a final comeback attempt.
Bode Grieve and Caucci led off with consecutive singles, and
Teddy Cashman drew a walk to load the bases. Barrist then connected for a two-run single that scored Grieve and Caucci to trim the Army lead to 6-3. The rally stalled and the final score remained 6-3.
Tristan Helmick took the loss, pitching five innings and allowing six runs on seven hits, while striking out 10 and walking four. Andrew Berg earned the win after tossing 6.2 innings and allowing three runs on seven hits with six strikeouts. Josiah Overbeek recorded the final out of the game to earn the save.
In game two, Lafayette established an early lead, plating one run in the first inning when Fernsler reached on a fielder's choice to score Barrist. The Leopards extended the cushion to 3-0 in the second inning after Mislan scored on an error and Caucci crossed the plate on a fielder's choice from
Will Dobil.
After Army tied the game in the bottom of the second, Lafayette reclaimed the lead in the third, 5-3, behind a sacrifice fly from Caucci and an RBI-single by Barrist. In the bottom of the frame, the Black Kinghts made the score 5-4 via Carter Hewitt's solo home run.
The Leopard offense surged again in the fourth inning when
Jack Mislan launched a three-run home run to left field that plated Grieve and Doubek for an 8-4 advanatage. Army drove in a run in the fifth and the sixth to bring the tally to 8-6.
Matt Colella added a solo shot in the seventh inning to provide Lafayette a 9-6 margin. However, the Black Knights chipped away at the lead, eventually tying the game at 9-9 in the eighth inning on a two-run single by Zac Farrell. In the bottom of the ninth, after Chris Barr reached on a walk and advanced to third, he scored the winning run on a wild pitch that handed Army the 10-9 win.
Overbeek earned the win, throwing 0.2 innings of scoreless relief.
Alex Payne took the loss, allowing one run and one walk in 0.2 innings of work.
Lafayette will conclude its series with Army at 1 p.m. on Monday.
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