Lehigh heads to UMES Wednesday for midweek doubleheader
Posted: 02/26/2013 | Last updated: February 26, 2013 at 02:30 PM
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh baseball team is set to hit the road on Wednesday for a midweek doubleheader against Maryland-Eastern Shore in Princess Anne, Md. The Mountain Hawks dropped two of three games against on the road against preseason CAA favorite UNC-Wilmington last weekend, leaving 1-2 on the young season.
The Mountain Hawks rebounded from a 15-0 loss in Friday’s season-opener and a rainout Saturday with a strong performance in a doubleheader split on Sunday. Lehigh took Sunday’s first game 4-1 before the Seahawks took the nightcap by a 6-1 score.
Lehigh’s pitching efforts were especially strong on Sunday. Junior Mike Burke pitched 5.1 innings in just his sixth career start, striking out three on the afternoon. Sophomore Nick Stephens came on in relief with one on and one out in the sixth and needed just two pitches to retire the side. He pitched around a one out walk in the seventh to close out the game and record his first career save. 
Burke received an honorable mention from the Patriot League on Monday after earning the win vs. UNCW. Lehigh also received a strong effort from junior Nick Cassell in game two on Sunday. Cassell did not allow an earned run in 5.1 innings. UNCW took the lead 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth with an unearned run and the Seahawks tacked on a pair of pinch hit two run home runs in the bottom of the eighth.
Senior Casey turner is the team’s top hitter after opening weekend. He started in all three games, going 3-for-9 with a double and a run scored in the series.
UMES is 1-5 on the season after splitting their season opening series against Winthrop and dropping all four of its games in the VMI Tournament against Buffalo and VMI in Lexington, Va.
Last season, Lehigh’s scheduled doubleheader at UMES was postponed from February to April, with the Mountain Hawks sweeping a twinbill winning 7-6 and 5-3.
The first pitch for game one is set for noon Wednesday from Princess Anne, Md.
Story by Taylor Boyd ‘13