The Lafayette baseball team went from high to low in a two game stretch this week. On Tuesday, the Maroon and White bats rang out as the team beat Delaware by five runs in the Liberty Bell Classic Championship at Citizens Bank Park. This is the first time the Leopards have beaten the Blue Hens since their victories in 2007 and 2008.
The Leopards had 11 hits, with sophomore infielder John Marti leading the charge, going 3 for 5, and with senior outfielder Luke Robinson close behind, with two hits in his four times at the plate.
Lafayette trailed 2-0 going into the fifth inning, but got on the board with a homer by sophomore outfielder Jake Sniegocki. In the sixth inning the team came alive, going ahead 3-2. They did not give up the lead again.
In the eighth inning, senior first baseman Patrick Nelson cleared the bases on a double to increase the Leopards’ lead to 6-2. Delaware inched back by scoring two runs, but the Leopards’ lead held going into the ninth. Marti scored on a double, followed by two wild pitches. Junior infielder Spencer Rouse walked and was sent home by a Robinson homer to end the game at 9-4.
Sophomore pitcher Mark Anderson won his second game of the season, throwing seven innings. One run scored on him in the first inning, but he held on, giving up only three runs, as he struck out four batters. Sophomore pitcher Brett Kreyer closed the game.
Although hits were the champion on Tuesday, walks were the Leopards’ downfall against Lehigh on Wednesday.
The score was close through most of the game, but unlike their production against Delaware, the Maroon and White could not turn their hits into runs against the Mountain Hawks, losing 5-2.
Lafayette hit 11 to Lehigh’s seven, but Lehigh drew 11 walks, which were crucial in raising their score.
In the third inning, Sniegocki barely missed a homer, settling for a double, but could not make it home. Lehigh went up 2-0 in that inning and lead throughout. Lafayette got on the board in the fourth, but could not recover from Lehigh’s bases loaded walk home in the fifth. Lafayette kept it close, coming within a run to leave the inning 3-2.
Lehigh added runs in the sixth and eighth innings. Robinson and Marti each went two for four, but Lafayette could not put together any more runs.
Sophomore pitcher Brian Lannino took the loss, as he went out in the fifth. He was followed by three other pitchers, including freshman JP Woodward, who struck out four in his 2.1 innings on the mound.
The loss drops the Maroon and White to 13-25 overall and 2-12 mark in the Patriot League. Lafayette will be home for a three-game stand against Holy Cross, starting with Saturday doubleheader, bookending the Hilton Rahn ’51 tailgate. Saturday’s events start at 12 p.m.