Sunday, April 10
12 p.m.
Lehigh University
11-19, 0
1
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6
Holy Cross
12-19, 0
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2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Holy Cross
2
3
0
0
1
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6
6
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Lehigh
0
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0
0
1
5
1
Mountain Hawks walk off with 5-4 win in nightcap of Sunday doubleheader
4/10/2016 6:44:00 PM | Baseball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – A game-winning RBI single from junior John Scarr secured a 5-4 walkoff win in the bottom of the ninth of a Sunday doubleheader at Legacy Park to help the Lehigh baseball team split the series-opening twinbill against Holy Cross. The Crusaders were able to grab a 6-1 win in the day's opener. Lehigh moves to 12-19 overall and 2-4 in league action with Sunday's results, while Holy Cross sits at 12-20 overall and 3-3 in Patriot League play.
"We executed really well in the bottom of the ninth," said head coach Sean Leary. "John Scarr has been a pivotal change to our season and he gave us a chance to win the ball game behind the plate and then came through with big hits in his last two times up. We've been talking about winning these close games and today Kevin Boswick and John really helped us come through in the clutch."
Senior Mike Garzillo and juniors David Young and Jacen Nalesnik all recorded three hits in the two games combined. Nalesnik came up with a clutch two-run single in the nightcap victory, while Garzillo scored the game-winning run. Scarr, junior Patrick Donnelly and freshman Ryan Malloy each chipped in two hits. Senior reliever Kevin Boswick earned the win on the mound in the game two victory after holding the Crusaders to two runs on three hits with four strikeouts in the final 3.1 innings of action. Sophomore reliever Peter Moore allowed just one run on one hit with four strikeouts in the day's opener.
"I thought Pete had the best performance of his career today," said Leary. "He commanded three pitches and really helped change the momentum of the day and helped save our bullpen."
Game two starter Mark Washington kept the Crusaders off the board until the fourth inning when back-to-back doubles from Alex Voitik and Bill Schlich plated the game's first run. The Mountain Hawks were only able to get one hits in the first three innings of Holy Cross starter Phil Reese until Garzillo opened the bottom of the fourth with a leadoff triple and Donnelly followed with a single to center to quickly tie the game at 1-1 through four frames.
Washington and junior Connor Donovan combined to throw a scoreless top of the fifth before Malloy sent a one-out double to right center in the bottom half of the frame. Nalesnik followed with a single through the right side to move Malloy to third before sophomore James Bleming came through with a sacrifice fly to left to put the Mountain Hawks ahead 2-1 through five.
Schlich opened the sixth inning with a leadoff triple before an RBI single from Josh Hassell brought him home a batter later and tied the game at 2-2. Boswick hurled a scoreless seventh before a leadoff double opened the top of the eighth. The Crusaders then laid down a sacrifice bunt before executing a squeeze play to jump ahead 3-2, but Boswick was able to work out of a one-out bases-loaded jam to limit the damage.
Young led off the bottom of the eighth with a single before Scarr chipped in a one-out single and senior Mackey Price drew a walk. After a Holy Cross pitching change and strikeout, Nalesnik sent a shot up the middle to score Young and a hustling Scarr to put the Mountain Hawks ahead 4-3. Boswick retired the first batter in the top of the ninth, but Holy Cross' Alex Voitik followed with a home run to tie it up at 4-4. Boswick was once again able to work out of a two-one jam to make sure the game went to the bottom of the ninth tied.
Garzillo sent a leadoff single to left to open the bottom of the ninth before Donnelly laid down a sacrifice bunt and Garzillo snuck his way to third thanks to heads-up baserunning. Holy Cross closer Sean Gustin, the league's leader in saves, then intentionally walked Young and Donovan to load the bases with one out. Scarr then worked a 3-0 count before Gustin got a strike over the plate, but Scarr followed by ripping the game-winning hit through the right side to secure the 5-4 walk-off win for the Mountain Hawks.
Washington finished with a line of one run on four hits in 4.1 innings of work. Gustin suffered the loss.
The Crusaders jumped ahead 2-0 in the day's first game, a seven-inning contest, as an RBI groundout from Voitik was followed by a one-run triple from Schlich in the top of the first inning. Holy Cross then added three more in the following frame thanks to a solo home run from Travis Cloney, two more hits and a costly Lehigh error to extend the Crusader lead to 5-0 in the second.
Lehigh was able to get a run back in the bottom of the second as Young opened the frame by being hit by a pitch before Donovan followed with a double to left center. A batter later, an RBI groundout from senior Mackey Price allowed Young to run home and put the Mountain Hawks on the board.
Moore came on in relief of sophomore starter Sam Ashey in the third inning. Moore retired the first seven batters he faced until Anthony Critelli sent a solo shot over the left field fence to extend the Holy Cross lead to 6-1 in the top of the fifth frame. Moore rebounded to sit down the rest of the Crusaders he faced. Lehigh put at least one runner on base in the first five innings, but Holy Cross starting pitcher Brendan King went the distance and retired the final six Mountain Hawks he faced to earn the 6-1 complete-game win. Ashey suffered the loss after allowing five runs, three of which were earned, on five hits in two innings of work.
Lehigh and Holy Cross wrap up their four-game series Monday at Legacy Park. First pitch of the doubleheader is slated for 12 p.m. and free video will be available on the Patriot League Network.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Brendan King (4-2)
L: Ashey, Sam (3-3)
Batting:
2B: Bobby Indeglia 1
3B: Bill Schlich 1
HR: Anthony Critelli 1 ; Travis Cloney 1
RBI: Cam O'Neill 1 ; Anthony Critelli 2 ; Alex Voitik 1 ; Bill Schlich 1 ; Travis Cloney 1
SF: Cam O'Neill 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nick Lovullo 2 ; Anthony Critelli 1 ; Alex Voitik 1 ; Travis Cloney 1 ; Bobby Indeglia 1
HBP: Cam O'Neill 1
Batting:
2B: Nalesnik, Jacen 1 ; Bleming, James 1 ; Donovan, Connor 1
RBI: Price, Mackey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Young, David 1
CS: Bleming, James 1
HBP: Nalesnik, Jacen 1 ; Young, David 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
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RHP
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3B
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2B
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OF
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LHP
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SS
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C
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RHP
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