Box Score
The Lehman College baseball team (5-20 Overall, 1-7 CUNYAC) won a high-scoring non-conference game on Sunday afternoon as the team rallied from a 9-6 eighth inning deficit to defeat the Baruch College Bearcats (14-9-1 Overall, 8-0 CUNYAC) by a score of 13-11 at Westchester Community College.
The pitching match-up featured Lehman’s Francisco Sanchez taking on Baruch College’s Ryan McGuire. Sanchez hurled seven innings for his team, allowing nine runs (eight earned) on 10 hits while walking six batters and striking out eight. McGuire lasted four innings, giving up three runs (one earned) on five hits while walking one batter and striking out seven. Neither pitcher would figure in the decision though.
In a wild game, Lehman led 3-1 after four innings of play. Baruch then changed pitchers, as McGuire came out and Jason Valentin came into the game. The Lightning would then plate two runs in the top of the fifth to balloon their lead to 5-1. The Bearcats, however, would strike back with three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and four more in the bottom of the sixth to take an 8-5 lead. After each team scored a run apiece in the seventh, the Lightning would score seven runs in the top of the eighth, as Jason Valentin gave up four runs in the top of the eighth without recording an out, and he was replaced by Joseph Valetin who would give up three runs while only recording two outs. Baruch’s David Gega would record the final out of the eighth, but the damage was done as Lehman held a 13-9 lead.
After Lehman’s Dennis Schwuchow pitched a scoreless eighth inning, the Lightning failed to score in the top of the ninth. Schwuchow would start the ninth inning for Lehman, but after putting runners on first and third with nobody out, Emmanuel Vera came in for a save situation. Both inherited Baruch base-runners would score, but Vera wouldn’t allow anything else as the Lightning held on for a gritty two-run victory.
Schwuchow picked up the victory for Lehman, pitching one inning and allowing two runs (both earned) on two hits while walking a batter. Vera picked up the save for the Lightning, hurling one frame and allowing no runs on one hit and one walk while striking out two. Jason Valentin took the loss for Baruch College, pitching three innings and allowing seven runs (five earned) on six hits while walking two and striking out four.
Offensively for Lehman College, Andrew Rosario put forth a tremendous day at the dish, finishing 5-for-6 with a pair of homeruns while scoring four runs and driving in three. Gilbert Garcia also singled four times and scored two runs. The main contributors for Baruch College at the dish were Arturo Ledesma (4-for-5, four singles, RBI) and Manuel Guerrero (3-for-4, three singles).
The Lightning will return to action Wednesday afternoon as the team stays home to battle the Baruch College Bearcats in a non-conference game, with first pitch scheduled for 3:00pm.