THE BASICS 

Score: 
Lesley University, 7 vs. Stevenson University, 8

Records: 
Lesley Lynx (0-1, 0-0 NAC)
Stevenson Mustangs (2-0, 0-0 MACC)

Location: Owings Mills, Md. – Stevenson East Campus Complex

Date: Saturday, February 24, 2024

THE LEAD – Despite outscoring the hosts by a 7-3 margin over the final three innings of play, Lesley University fell in its 2024 season-opener to Stevenson University by an 8-7 final on Saturday afternoon at the SU East Campus Complex.   

HOW IT HAPPENED

• LU senior starting pitcher Dyland Langston put together a strong debut but the Lynx still found themselves in a 5-0 hole through six innings of play thanks to a pair of costly errors in the third inning that results in four unearned runs and another in the bottom of the sixth to account for the five-run deficit heading into the late frames.
• Lesley did not have a base hit until the fifth when Adam Budorick laced a single to right field and the visitors finally got on the board in the top of the seventh plating three runs to make it a 5-3 contest.
• Owen Kalagher drove in the first run of the 2024 campaign for the Lynx with an RBI single down the left field line and later came around to score on a Budorick double to pull Lesley closer at 5-2. Budorick crossed the plate later in the frame thanks to a Mustang throwing miscue to move the needle to 5-3 before the hosts got out of the jam still on top.
• Following a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh on the hill by relief pitcher Jacon Nemergut, Lesley stayed hot at the plate with RBI hits from Kevin Dorsey and Ian Dempsey to even the game at 5-5. The Lynx had a chance to pull ahead but Stevenson got out of the jam by stranding two Lesley runners in scoring position to end the top of the eighth.
• In the bottom half of the inning, SU once again took advantage of a Lesley error, their third of the game, to push three huge insurance runs across the board to rebuild an 8-5 cushion. The eventual game-winning run was scored by Kaige Garrity who stole home on a pick-off attempt to first base.
• The Lynx fought until the end, plating a pair in the ninth but once again stranded the tying and go-ahead runners on base to account for the 8-7 final in the opener.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Langston recorded 10 strikeouts over 5.0 innings of work in his season-debut, surrendering the four unearned runs on five hits and two walks while Nemergut was solid in relief, allowing three runs (all unearned) on two hits while striking out three to take the tough-luck loss.
• Lesley outhit the Mustangs by a 10-7 margin while both teams committed three errors in the field.
• Budorick, Dorsey, Dempsey and Kalagher all finished with two hits each for the Lynx.
• Matt Perri paced the Mustangs with a 3-for-3 performance at the plate while Anthony D'Angeli and Nick Tamberino each collected two hits and three RBI for the hosts.
• John Delgado (1-0) picked up the win in relief while Jake Boden worked the final inning to record the save.

UP NEXT

• The teams will do it again tomorrow in a non-conference twinbill slated for a 12:00 PM first pitch.