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Leopards and Lancers Close Out Spring Break Swing With A Split
March 21, 2009
Box Score Game 1
FARMVILLE, Va. - Lafayette baseball closed out its spring break trip with a Saturday doubleheader split at Longwood University. In the opener, Lafayette led 6-1 after three, but surrendered a five-run seventh in an 8-6 loss. In the series finale, the Leopards again jumped out to a big lead, 5-0, but this time pulled away for a 10-8 victory. In the second game on Saturday, Lafayette (8-9) pounded out five runs on five hits in the first inning. The Leopards batted around the order for thr fourth time this season. Matt Hall (2 RBI), Chris Luick, Justin Shepherd and Brian Davila all singled in runs for the Leopards. Hall's two-out single into right field drove in two more runs in the fourth inning after Jeff Butler (single) and Daniel Bierce (double) set the table with one-out hits. In the top of the fifth, Lafayette tacked on two runs against the Longwood (14-8) bullpen. Brad Weiss, who led off the inning when he was hit by a pitch, later scored on an error. Bierce (3-for-4, 2 RBI) gave the Leopards a 9-2 lead with an RBI-single that scored Butler. Meanwhile, Lafayette starter Ryan Hanna pitched into the sixth frame of the seven-inning game. Hanna, who improved to 3-1 on the season, went 5.2 innings while allowing five runs on five hits and did not walk a batter. Jeff Snell threw the final inning and a third, scattering a run on two hits with one strikeout. Lafayette dealt Mark Montgomery (3-1) his first loss of the season after his seven-run, 10-hit outing.
Lafayette added three insurance runs in the seventh on RBI-singles by Rob Froio, Bierce and A.J. Miller. Bierce and Froio had three hits apiece in the series finale. Saturday's first game looked good for the Leopards in the early going as they led 6-1 a third of the way through the nine-inning game. Hall Knocked in Froio who led off the game with an infield single. Bierce and Hall later scored when Weiss (1-for-5, 3 RBI) went the other way with a single through the right side. Froio (2-for-4, 2 RBI) again was involved in the scoring, knocking in Luick with a groundout as Lafayette led 4-0 after two. The Maroon and White built their lead to 6-0 in the top of the third inning with an RBI-single from Hall and a run-scoring groundout from Weiss. Longwood finally reached Lafayette starter Zach Fritz in the bottom of the third inning. Phil Cerreto's two-out single put the Lancers on the scoreboard. In the fourth inning, Longwood's Jonathan Quigley, led off with a homer and the Lancers added a second run with a two-out infield single by Brant Jones. Longwood forced Lafayette to go to its bullpen in the fifth inning. Matt Gwaltney singled in a pair of runs. Freshman righthander Ethan Perro came on in relief and enticed Longwood into a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning with a one-run lead (6-5) intact. Lafayette answered in the top of the next inning. Luick and A.J. Pisarri (2-for-3) each collected one-out singles and Froio scored Luick on a ground ball for a 7-5 lead. A pair of doubles and a single opened the seventh inning for Longwood, resulting in the tying run coming across home plate in the person of Casey Havers (double). Head coach Joe Kinney brought in Sean McGrath for Perro with a runner on third and no outs. McGrath loaded the bases, but managed to get a force out a home on a ground ball. The second time he faced a batter with the bags packed he surrendered a grand slam to nine hole hitter Dustin Sollars. Trailing 10-7, Lafayette was unable to cut into the lead until the ninth inning. Froio (double) and Butler (single) started off the Leopards' final at-bat with hits. Miller single home Froio and advanced Butler to third base with one out and Longwood leading 10-8. Longwood reliever Lance Harting, who threw the final two innings of the game, retired Hall and Weiss to end the game. Troy Dickman earned the mound win, giving up one run in the middle four innings while Harting collected his fifth save of the season. Perro's record is now even at 2-2 after the loss. He gave up three runs on three hits in 1.2 innings. Joseph Verdon pitched a hitless eighth for the Leopards. Lafayette will return to action Tuesday when the Leopards face St. Joseph's in the first round of the Liberty Bell Classic. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. in the event which the Leopards have won the last two seasons. |
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