UMBC

Baltimore, Md. - Lafayette (5-11) cranked out 19 hits en route to a 14-4 win over UMBC (8-9) on Saturday afternoon at The Baseball Factory Field at UMBC.  Lafayette opened the game with five runs in the first and tacked on six more runs in the third as they take the first two games of the three-game series.  The series finale will be played on Sunday at 2 p.m.

The Leopards for the second straight game jumped on UMBC in the first, scoring five runs in the opening inning.  Lafayette’s first seven batters reached base, recording five singles, a double and a walk as the first five batters scored in the inning.  Lafayette sent a total of 11 batters to the plate in the inning. 

Freshman Eddie Bach started for UMBC but lasted no longer than the first inning, allowing five runs on six hits with two walks.  Matt Buchholz pitched the second for UMBC, allowing one hit and recording a strike out.  Buchholz came back out for the third inning but was not nearly as affective as the Leopards recorded five hits with three singles, a double and triple in the first three batters as the Leopards sent 10 batters to the plate en route to six runs. 

Tom Schlein relieved Buchholz, with one runner on second base and four runs already scored in the inning.  The Leopards would record two more doubles and score two more runs to run out to an 11-1 lead.  Lafayette tacked on single runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings. 

UMBC’s offense was sparse after recording a run on three singles in the first.  The Retrievers were held in check until scoring a single run in the seventh and two in the eighth inning.  The Retrievers finished with 12 hits in the game and stranded nine runners.  The Retrievers two games into the series have stranded 21 runners on base. 

Ted Gjeldum went 8.0 innings allowing 12 hits, four runs and striking out four to earn the win for Lafayette.  Nick Tucker pitched a perfect ninth inning.  Mike Raible went 4-for-5 in the game with three runs scored and three RBI.  Raible finished with a home run and a double.  Lafayette finished with seven extra base hits with a home run, two triples and four doubles.  Every Lafayette starter had a hit in the game. 

Bach took the loss while Schlein in relief went 6.0 innings, allowing seven hits and four runs.  Bo Sauter pitched a perfect ninth inning for UMBC.  Zach Clark went 2-for-4 with two singles and an RBI in the game.  Steve Bowen drove in one run on a 2-for-3 day at the plate.