Baseball Clinches 2021 Patriot League Championship Crown

Thursday, May 27

Bethlehem, PA

12 PM

Army West Point

27-23

Lehigh

24-18

Army West Point

Lehigh

Baseball Clinches 2021 Patriot League Championship Crown

May 27, 2021 | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Black Knights earned their third Patriot League title in four seasons after taking the winner-takes-all game three of the Patriot League Championship series 6-1 on Thursday afternoon.

On winning the 2021 Patriot League title and a spot in the NCAA Regionals, head coach Jim Foster said, "This one is extra special because of everything these guys have been through. You immediately think of the guys from last season who didn't get to play for a championship last year. This one is for them."

Overall, the title is the 10th Patriot League Championship for the Black Knights and fifth since 2009. That is the most by any team since the league's inception in 1991.

The Black Knights and Mountain Hawks played a tight game two contest, where the Black Knights mustered just one run on five hits, while Lehigh's three runs came on just four hits in the pitcher's duel, but Lehigh came out on top in game two, 3-1, setting up the winner-takes-all game three.

Army starter in game two, Robbie Buecker took the loss, allowing three runs on three hits with four walks and three strikeouts. Reliever Connley Early tossed 5.0 scoreless down the stretch with six strikeouts and just one hit allowed to keep the Black Knights close, but the offense just could not come together against Lehigh starter Matt Svanson who threw 8.0 complete of one-run, five-hit baseball before giving way to Will Grisack for the save.

Due to impending weather in the Bethlehem area expected on Friday, both sides agreed to a doubleheader for games two and three, so the winner-takes-all game three started at approximately 3:45 p.m. ET.

On the team's mindset from game two to game three, senior captain Ray Bartoli said, "Today with a double header we needed to have a short memory, after dropping the first game we needed to sweep that game and move on quickly to game three."

In game three, Bartoli got the ball for the Black Knights and tossed his second complete game in as many starts, allowing just one hit while scattering six hits with five strikeouts and no walks.

On his outstanding performance, Bartoli said, "My mindset was just to continue to execute pitches. And then when we got to the later innings it was just to trust my catcher and what he was putting down."

The Black Knights jumped out to a 3-0 lead through the first two frames, with Tim Simoes delivering a sac fly in the first inning and then Hunter Meade drew a bases-loaded walk in the second followed by a sac fly for Kevin Debrule.

On the early 3-0 lead, Bartoli said, "Anytime you can score first and get the lead early, it gives you a better sense of peace of mind. It allowed me to settle in in the earlier innings and then as we reached the middle innings just compete."

The Black Knights added one in the fifth on a fielder's choice RBI by Nick Manesis, but the Mountain Hawks got one back in the bottom half of the inning, but Bartoli was able to minimize the damage, due in part to a huge diving grab by Meade in center field to end the inning, stranding two Mountain Hawks.

"In the fifth inning, where Meade made the diving catch, when he came off the field I told him, 'That is how you win championships, making plays like that.' It is easy to pitch when I have a defense like that behind me," explained Bartoli.

The Black Knights added two insurance runs in the top of the ninth off a two-run home run by Ross Friedrick, who was named MVP of the championship.

Up 6-1, it was much easier for head coach Jim Foster to allow Bartoli to take the ball in the bottom of the ninth to finish off his second complete game in back-to-back starts.
On Bartoli's play, Foster said, "He is a senior, he is a captain, there is no one else you would want out there. He is getting stronger as we go along and has played so many key roles for us this season."

The victory is the third Patriot League title for the Black Knights in four years, with the one off year coming in the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season where no championship was held.

On the victory, Bartoli said, "It is surreal. Being with this team for the past four years, making it three times is something special. Coming back here this year after last year's season being cut short, we are doing it for those guys who didn't get to finish things off last year."

NOTES

The Patriot League All-Championship Team consisted of pitcher Ray Bartoli, third baseman Anthony Giachin, catcher Cam Cerruto and first baseman Ross Friedrick, who was named the Tournament MVP.
Over the series vs. Lafayette and the series vs. Lehigh, Friedrick led all participants with eight runs scored and had a big two-run home run vs. Lehigh in game three in the top of the ninth to put the game out of reach of the Mountain Hawks.
Centerfielder Hunter Meade finished second in the tournament with a .458 average.
Catcher Cam Cerruto was tied for the league lead with three home runs over the tournament.
RHP Ray Bartoli led the league in innings pitched over the tournament with two complete games.
Overall, the Black Knights batted a tournament-best .295 over the six games of the tournament, scoring 45 runs on 61 hits with 10 doubles, one triple, five home runs and 40 RBI.
The pitching staff finished with a tournament-best 4.58 ERA as they went 4-2 in 53.0 innings of work with 37 strikeouts.

WHAT'S NEXT
With the victory the Black Knights have punched their ticket to the NCAA Regionals and the Road to Omaha. They will await their seeding and regional selection that will be announced on Monday, May 31 at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN2.