March 30, 2006

Box Score

EASTON, Pa. - Lafayette scored nine runs over the first three innings and ran away to a 12-4 victory over Wagner in non-conference baseball action on Thursday at the Class of 1978 Stadium. Winners of five straight, the Leopards now turn their attention to Patriot League play which opens with a four-game weekend series at Army.

Lafayette (8-11) struck for a lone run in the first inning, despite not having a hit. A walk, a hit batsman, a balk and a passed ball gave Lafayette a lead it would not relinquish on the afternoon. In the second inning with a runner aboard, Chris Luick jacked his first collegiate home run off Wagner starter Kevin Rush. Rush (0-1) took the loss in the game, going 2.2 innings while allowing six runs on just three hits.

Lafayette starter Steve Roberts (2-2) threw the first two innings of the game and was credited with the win. He did not allow a hit, walked two and struck out two as the first of seven pitchers head coach Joe Kinney used in the weekday contest.

Sophomore Nick Tucker followed Roberts on the mound and pitched the third inning. Wagner (1-17) cut into Lafayette's lead, as the Seahawks plated a run on an Ed Sudol groundout following a Joe DiGeronimo double.

Already leading 3-1, the Leopards cranked it up in the bottom of the inning, pounding out six runs. Sophomore Tom Ambrosole led off with a solo homer, just Lafayette's second hit of the game. Tom Hayes kept things going with a one-out double. Four straight walks by the Wagner pitching staff, three of them by reliever Neil Hoosier, scored a pair of runs. Lafayette quickly plated three more in the rally when Frank Cortazar doubled to right to clear the bases and hand Lafayette a 9-1 lead.

The Seahawk bats were silent until the eighth, when they batted around the order and scored three runs. Wagner had just two hits in the inning, but Lafayette walked four batters to get into trouble. John Fugett came out of the bullpen and ended the rally with three runs across. Fugett was on the hill for the final 1.2 innings and did not surrender a run while scattering three hits.

Sophomore Jason Morytko was effective in the fourth and fifth innings, allowing just one hit while striking out two. Freshmen Brian Mostek and Mike LeClerc-Spier went unscathed on the mound in the sixth and seventh. Brian Cope pitched one-third of the eighth before giving way to Fugett.

Lafayette collected nine hits to Wagner's seven with Hayes and Luick each belting out two hits. Cortazar and Luick drove in three runs apiece while Sudol led Wagner with two RBI.

The College Hill Nine return to action on Saturday. First pitch of the Army series begins at noon at Army's Doubleday Field.