March 13, 2006

Box Score

FRESNO, Calif. - Senior Matt Revelle threw 7.2 innings in his third start of the season, but Binghamton got to him for a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth to pull away for a 4-1 win. The game was the opening matchup of the Pepsi Johnny Quik/Classic hosted by Fresno State.

The two teams combined for eight hits (one extra-base knock) in the nine-inning game with each team accounting for four.

Binghamton (2-2-1) scratched out pair of runs in its first and its last at-bats. Revelle retired the first two batters of the first inning before walking Matt Simek. The next batter, Brendon Hitchcock, hit a ball up the middle for shortstop Ian Law. Law fielded it cleanly but threw it away at first, allowing Simek to score. The Bearcats tacked on another run to lead 2-0 when Jeff Monaco singled to right to score Hitchcock.

Lafayette (3-5) got a run back in the third inning. Sophomore Tyler Zeronda, who reached on one of his three walks in the game, moved into scoring position on a fielder's choice with one out in the inning. Junior Frank Cortazar smoked a 1-2 pitch to centerfield to drive him in. No. 3 hitter Ian Law kept the inning going with a single through the right side, but Binghamton starter Scott Diamond got Mike Raible to ground out and end the inning.

Revelle cruised through the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, retiring Binghamton in order. Meanwhile, the Lafayette bats were quiet, with Zeronda's lead-off walk in the fifth representing Lafayette's only baserunner in the middle innings.

With two outs in the seventh, the Leopards threatened Binghamton reliever Mike Van Gorder. Zeronda drew a walk and junior James Conrad reached on an error by the shortstop. The misplay put runners on first and third. Cortazar stepped to the plate, but the inning ended when he hit in 6-4 fielder's choice.

The Leopards faced a similar situation in the top of the eighth, as the offense did not get moving until there were two outs in the inning. Kevin Leasure legged out an infield single and then stole second. Leasure was joined on the base paths by Tom Hayes who drew a walk. Lafayette went to the bench and pinch hit Tom Ambrosole who lined out to first to end the inning.

Binghamton put the game away in the bottom of the inning. A lead-off double and walk vs. Revelle put runners on first and second. Binghamton bunted the runners up a base, but Revelle kept battling. He struck out Aaron Davis for the second out of the inning. The next batter, Simek, fought off a quality 2-2 pitch to send a single to rightfield that scored two runs. Revelle was lifted for reliever John Fugett who ended the inning with a groundout.

Revelle (1-1) allowed four runs (two earned) on four hits, two walks and two strikeouts in the loss. Diamond (2-0) surrendered one run on three hits in the win. He struck out five and walked four. Seth Rademaker collected the save, retiring Lafayette in order in the ninth.

Lafayette will face a familiar rival on Tuesday in the second round of the Pepsi/Johnny Quik Classic, battling Bucknell at 11 a.m. (Pacific).