Lafayette Edges Past Army in League Semifinals

WEST POINT – The Army West Point baseball team (34-16, 21-4 PL) fell to the Lafayette Leopards (15-35, 10-15, PL) 7-5 Saturday afternoon. Army’s Coleson Titus batted 3-5 with two home runs, two RBIs, and three runs.

Lafayette attacked Army starter Matthew Ronnebaum (L, 6-4) in the top of the first inning. With two outs, Michael Zarrillo walked, putting a runner on first. Seif Ingram hit a two-run home run, giving the Leopards a 2-0 lead. Ronnebaum retired the side with a strikeout.

Army got out in order in the bottom of the first.

In the bottom of the second, the Black Knights attacked Lafayette starter Alex Walsh (6-2). With two outs, sophomore Coleson Titus ripped a solo home run to left field, making it a 2-1 game. Ethan Ellis followed with a solo blast to left center, tying up the ball game. The Leopards ended the inning tagging Addison Ainsworth out at first.

Lafayette retook the lead in the top of the third. Leadoff hitter Blaze Fadio hit a double down the left field line, putting a runner in scoring position. With one out, Pete Ciuffreda made it a 3-2 game, after ripping an RBI double to left field, sending Fadio in to score.

Zarrillo gave the Leopard a 5-2 lead, after hitting a two-run home run to right field, sending Ciuffreda across the plate. Army cleared the side with a fly-out and a strikeout.

The Black Knights threatened Walsh in the bottom of the third. With two outs, Ruta walked, putting a runner on first. Senior Kevin Dubrule walked, putting runners on first and second. Lafayette retired the side with a fly-out.

The Leopards threatened to extend their lead in the top of the fourth. With one out, Ben Petrone hit a double to left center, Petrone was tagged out by Barr at second, after attempting to advance to third on the throw. With two outs, Ethan Swidler walked, putting a runner on first. Fadio ripped a single to left field advancing Swidler to second, putting a runner in scoring position. Ronnebaum cleared the side with a strikeout.

Lafayette got out in order in the top of the fifth.

In the bottom of the fifth, Army threatened the Leopards. Leadoff hitter Chris Barr ripped a single up the middle, putting a runner on first with two outs, Dubrule hit a single to center field, advancing Barr to third, and putting a runner in scoring position. The Leopards ended the inning with a fly-out.

Lafayette scored two runs off a two-run home run by Petrone in the top of the sixth inning to make it a 7-2 game.

With two outs, Tyler Prichard pitched relief for Matthew Ronnebaum. Army cleared the side with a groundout.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Black Knights made it a four-run game, after Titus hit his second home run of the day, making it a 7-3 game. Addison Ainsworth was hit by a pitch with two outs, putting a runner on first. Luke Craytor came in to pitch relief for Alex Walsh. Craytor cleared the side with a strikeout.

The Leopards got out in order in the top of the seventh.

Army threatened Craytor in the bottom of the seventh. Junior Derek Berg walked, putting a runner on first. After Sam Ruta grounded out, Berg advanced to second, putting a runner in scoring position. Dubrule was hit by a pitch, putting runners on first and second. Craytor ended the inning with two strikeouts.

In the top of the eighth, Lafayette threatened Prichard. With two outs, Petrone hit a single to first, putting a runner on base. Swidler ripped a single up the middle, putting runners on first and second. The Black Knights retired the side with a fly-out.

Army began its comeback in the bottom of the eighth. Leadoff hitter Coleson Titus hit a single to center field, putting a runner on first. With one out, Titus advanced to second on a wild pitch, putting a runner in scoring position. On another wild pitch, Titus advanced to third. Ainsworth walked, putting runners on the corners. Chris Barr ripped a single to first, advancing Ainsworth to second, Ainsworth advanced to third on a throwing error by Ben Petrone, sending Titus in to score, making it a 7-4 game. With two outs, Barr advanced to second on a passed ball, sending Ainsworth across the plate, cutting the Leopards lead to two runs. Lafayette ended the inning with a strikeout.

Relief pitcher Sean Dennehy came in to pitch relief for Tyler Prichard in the top of the ninth.
Leadoff hitter Easton Brenner hit a single to left field, putting a runner on first. Ciuddreda walked, putting runners on first and second. With one out, Lafayette loaded the bases after Seif Ingram walked. Dennehy got out of a bases-loaded jam with two strikeouts.

The Black Knights began their comeback attempt in the bottom of the ninth. Leadoff hitter Kevin Dubrule ripped a single to third, putting a runner on first. After Friedrick struck out, advancing Dubrule to second, putting a runner in scoring position. Braden Golinski walked, putting runners on first and second. Titus reached on a fielder’s choice and was tagged out by Chmielewski, Golinski, and Dubrule advanced to second and third, putting two runners in scoring position. The Leopards secured the win with a strikeout.