Lehigh drops Sunday doubleheader at Marshall

HUNTINGTON, W.V. – Marshall used a balanced offensive attack to earn a 12-6 win over the Lehigh baseball team in the opener of a Sunday doubleheader before the Thundering Herd scored the final two runs in the nightcap to earn a 6-4 victory at Kennedy Center Field. The Mountain Hawks fall to 3-3 on the season with the losses, while Marshall improves to 4-5.

"This was a weekend that was very important for us to continue to learn about our team," said head coach Sean Leary. "We certainly competed hard, but we have a lot to go back and work on. There were enough good positive things to take away as we look to improve from here."

Junior David Young and senior Mike Garzillo both went 4-for-8 at the plate in the two games combined, while Young knocked in a team-best three runs. Garzillo and sophomore James Bleming both scored a squad-high three runs. Bleming, junior Connor Donovan and senior Mackey Price each hit a solo home run in the day's opener.

Bleming led off the opener by taking first on a Marshall error. A single to center from Garzillo put two runners on before Young knocked a two-run single to right to give Lehigh a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Bleming then added a solo home run in the second frame to give the Mountain Hawks a 3-0 advantage.

Senior starter Kevin Boswick didn't allow a hit until a third-inning walk was followed by a Tommy Lane two-run homer that cut Lehigh's lead to 3-2. Marshall then tied the game in the next frame on an RBI double from Robert Fajardo to put the score at 3-3 through four innings.

Donovan smacked a leadoff solo home run in the sixth inning to put Lehigh back ahead 4-3, but Marshall used three hits and a Lehigh error to counter with a five-run bottom of the inning and take an 8-4 lead. Price got a run back for the Mountain Hawks in the top of the eighth went he sent a dinger over the left field fence to put the score at 8-5. The Herd followed with a four spot in the bottom of the eighth to extend Marshall's lead to 12-5. Garzillo and junior Patrick Donnelly roped back-to-back doubles to open the top of the ninth and put another run on the board for Lehigh, but it wasn't enough as the Mountain Hawks fell 12-6.

Boswick finished with a line of three runs on two hits and four strikeouts in 4.0 innings. Sophomore reliever Peter Moore suffered the loss, while Marshall starter JD Hammer picked up the win.

The Herd picked up where it left off in the series finale as a three-run home run gave Marshall an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Marshall added a run in the third on an RBI double to extend its advantage to 4-0.

The Lehigh offense scattered three hits through the first four innings and was finally able to get to Marshall starter Parker Danciu in the top of the fifth. Price led off the frame by taking first on a catcher's interference before Bleming knocked an infield single. Junior Jacen Nalesnik and Garzillo followed with RBI singles to score Price and Bleming and put Lehigh's first two runs on the board. After a wild pitch moved the runners to second and third, Donnelly sent a sacrifice fly to right to score Nalesnik. Young followed with a base hit to right that brought Garzillo home and tied the game at 4-4.

Junior starter Matt Kozemchak settled in after the first inning, allowing just two hits until a fifth-inning solo homer off the bat of Aaron Bossi put the Herd back on top 5-4. Senior Brandon Kulp took the mound with two outs in the fifth as Kozemchak's outing came to a close after allowing five runs, only four of which were earned, on six hits in 4.2 innings.

The Herd added an insurance run to go up 6-4 in the sixth inning following a sacrifice fly from DJ Gee. Freshman lefty Ethan Frohman kept the Herd off the board for the final 2.2 innings, but Lehigh wasn't able to get anything else off Marshall's bullpen as the Herd earned a 6-4 win.

Danciu claimed the win while Marshall closer Burris Warner picked up the save. Kozemchak was credited with the loss.

Lehigh returns to action Wednesday when the Mountain Hawks head to Villanova for a 3:15 p.m. first pitch.

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Team Stats

Mike Garzillo

James Bleming

David Young

Jacen Nalesnik

Players Mentioned

James Bleming

Kevin Boswick

Patrick Donnelly

Connor Donovan

Ethan Frohman

Mike Garzillo

Matt Kozemchak

Brandon Kulp

Peter Moore

Jacen Nalesnik

Mackey Price

David Young

Lehigh University Athletics

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