EASTON, Pa. – Senior shortstop
Cam Meyer hit a game-tying home run in the seventh inning and senior left fielder
Evan Blum delivered an RBI double in the top of the 10
th as the Holy Cross baseball team earned a 5-4, extra-inning victory in Game 2 to record a split against Lafayette on Sunday, April 18.
The Crusaders (6-10, 5-7 Patriot League) bounced back after a 6-2 loss in Game 1, led by a stellar performance from freshman right-hander
Alex Bryant, who threw five shutout innings in relief to earn the win, striking out a career-high 11 while allowing just three hits.
GAME ONE
Lafayette 6, Holy Cross 2
STATS LEADERS:
Holy Cross:
- McElroy (2-for-4, double)
- Meyer (2-for-3)
- Dudunakis (1-for-4, RBI)
- Selima (1-for-4, RBI)
- Chudy (2.2 IP, two hits, no earned runs, three strikeouts)
Lafayette:
- Fadio (2-for-3, double, three RBI)
- Ingram (2-for-4, double, RBI)
- Bloss (W, 6.0 IP, two earned runs, six strikeouts)
W: Bloss (3-0)
L: DiLauro (1-1)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The Crusaders jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third inning. Senior right fielder Peter Dudunakis had an RBI single to score freshman second baseman Sam Kirkpatrick, and Dudunakis later scored on a single from senior first baseman Andrew Selima.
- Lafayette hit a solo home run in the third to cut the Holy Cross lead in half; the Leopards went ahead in the fourth, 3-2, after a pair of RBI singles.
- The Leopards' lead grew to 6-2 after a three-run sixth; designated hitter Blaze Fadio had a two-RBI double and then later scored on an error.
GAME TWO
Holy Cross 5, Lafayette 4 (10 innings)
STATS LEADERS:
Holy Cross:
- Bryant (W, 5.0 IP, three hits, no runs, 11 strikeouts)
- Meyer (2-for-3, home run, three runs scored)
- Blum (1-for-4, double, two RBI)
- Dellacono (1-for-4, RBI, stolen base)
- Lopes (1.2 IP, no hits, no runs, three strikeouts)
Lafayette:
- Grech (1-for-6, two RBI)
- Planeta (2-for-4, double)
- Stern (1-for-3, triple, RBI)
- Yoder (2.0 IP, four strikeouts)
W: Bryant (2-1)
L: Bogosian (1-1)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Freshman third baseman Thomas Latham scored on a wild pitch to give the Crusaders a 1-0 lead in the first.
- Lafayette evened the game up in the second inning, but Holy Cross regained a one-run lead after Blum had a sac fly to score Meyer.
- The Leopards took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the third on a pair of unearned runs, with second baseman Ethan Stern hitting an RBI triple and later scoring on a double play.
- Holy Cross evened the game at 3-3 in the fourth after junior catcher Angelo D'Acunto walked and scored on an RBI single by sophomore center fielder Ben Dellacono.
- Lafayette went up 4-3 in the bottom half of the inning after a fielder's choice, but with Bryant's performance, were shut out for the remainder of the contest.
- Meyer hit a one-out home run to right field, evening things up at 4-4, in the seventh inning.
- After a scoreless eighth and ninth, Meyer hit a leadoff single in the top of the 10th, and advanced to third after a pair of groundouts. Blum's two-out double to left-center scored Meyer, giving the Crusaders a 5-4 lead.
- Despite Lafayette putting runners on the corners after an error and two-out single in the bottom of the 10th, Bryant drew a groundout to end the threat.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:
- Bryant has 26 strikeouts in 15.2 innings this season; he is tied with sophomore right-hander Jack DiLauro for the team lead in total strikeouts this year.
- Bryant's 11 strikeouts are tied with DiLauro for the most in a single game this season; he is the first freshman to record double-digit strikeouts in a game since Dan Seip had 10 strikeouts against Bowling Green on March 9, 2006.
DUE UP:
- The Crusaders are set to host Bryant University in a midweek, non-conference matchup on Wednesday, April 21.
- First pitch at Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field is set for 6 p.m.
