By Kalli Colacino
Managing Editor
The baseball team donned gold uniforms for the first time in over 30 years during a doubleheader against Dickinson College on Saturday.
The Lions split the doubleheader with Dickinson, losing the first game and winning the second.
In the first game, starting pitcher Ben Amon took the mound. He ran into some trouble in the first inning after allowing two singles and a bases-clearing double, which allowed the Dickinson Red Devils to score three runs.
Amon settled down after the first and kept the next five innings scoreless.
The Lions were able to put a run on the board after four quiet innings as catcher Ryan Goodall reached on an error and infielder Chris Cote singled, scoring Goodall and making the score 3-1.
Dickinson immediately responded by putting another run on the board with an RBI double.
Infielder Joe Oczkowski led off the bottom of the sixth by reaching on an error, paving the way for infielder Justin Marcario to get on base with a single and outfielder Zach Weiner to work a walk — bases were loaded. Outfielder Jack Haynes came up to bat and was hit by pitch (HBP), allowing him to take first and ultimately forcing in a run.
But yet again, Dickinson responded by putting up a run, making the score 5-2.
After pitching seven innings and recording nine strikeouts, Amon handed the ball over to pitcher Matthew Crawford to pitch the last two innings.
But in the ninth, the Red Devils added three more runs to the board via a three-run home run. The College tried to make a comeback in the ninth, but was only able to put one more run on the board after a pair of doubles by Haynes and Cote.
The final of the first game was 8-3, Dickinson.
In the second game of the day, starting pitcher Jackson Malouf took the mound. He allowed two runs on two hits in the top of the first, and Dickinson was quickly on the board. In the second, he allowed a solo homer, making the score 3-0.
The Lions responded to the homer by scoring a run after Cote reached on an error and both catcher Chris Reeder and outfielder Sebastian JnoBaptiste singled, allowing Cote to cross the plate. The Lions put one more run on the board in the second inning with a sacrifice fly by Weiner, 3-2.
The Red Devils were able to score one more run in the fourth, which would be the last run they would score in the game.
Pitcher Michael Silver came out in the fifth to relieve Malouf, who allowed four runs on seven hits and recorded four strikeouts.
The Lions heated up in the fifth, scoring three runs and taking the lead. Infielder Mike Lagravenis got things started with a leadoff single. Haynes was HBP for the second time of the day, allowing him to take first. A single by Cote scored Lagravenis. Then Reeder reached on a fielder’s choice, and with two outs, Marcario hit an RBI double. The Lions added their third and final run of the inning with a single by JnoBaptiste, 5-4.
In the seventh, pitcher Chris Cassini came out in relief of Silver.
Both teams were quiet until the eighth inning, where the Lions added a few insurance runs. A walk by JnoBaptiste started things off, and a single by Weiner and a walk by Lagravenis loaded the bases. JnoBaptiste was able to score with a single by Haynes. Two more runs scored after Goodall reached on a fielding error by Dickinson.
Pitcher Alec Schwartz came in to get the final three outs of the game and to secure the win for the Lions, 8-4.
After splitting the doubleheader with Dickinson, the Lions are 6-7 on the season. Their next matchup is against Penn State Abington on Tuesday at George Ackerman Park.
