Lehigh baseball won the opening game of Sunday’s doubleheader 10-9 against Holy Cross, allowing the Mountain Hawks to go home with a 3-1 series win. The Hawks lost the second game 2-1.
A double by sophomore third baseman Patrick Donnelly in the first inning of the first game allowed junior second baseman Mike Garzillo and senior outfielder Justin Pacchioli to score, giving the Mountain Hawks two runs early in the game.
The Crusaders also got on the board in the first with one run and then added three more in the second.
The Mountain Hawks came back in the third by scoring eight runs. Runs were driven in by senior first baseman Connor Faust, sophomore outfielder Jacen Nalesnik and Pacchioli, who all earned two RBI, and freshman shortstop James Bleming, who earned one.
The Crusaders scored five more runs combined in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, but it was not enough to defeat the Mountain Hawks.
Senior starter Nick Stephens pitched five innings and received the win. Sophomore pitcher Connor Donovan closed the game and got the save. Holy Cross starter Justin Finan received the loss.
The Mountain Hawks got on the board in the first inning once again in the second game. Pacchioli scored his third run of the day off of a single by Garzillo.
Sophomore starter Connor Donovan pitched seven strong innings, striking out six and giving up only one run, when the Crusaders tied the game in the third.
The game went into extra innings and stayed tied until Holy Cross scored in the bottom of the ninth.
Freshman reliever Mark Washington gave up the winning run and received the loss. Holy Cross reliever Sean Gustin, pitching only for the Hawks’ final out, received the win.
Lehigh will return home to take on University of Delaware on Tuesday at Legacy Park.
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