MERION STATION, Pa. – A seven-run fifth was the major spark as the Saint Joseph's baseball team moved past Lehigh, 16-10, and into the semifinals of the Liberty Bell Classic at Smithson Field on Tuesday in a game that was called after eight innings.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Lehigh (6-19) got on the board in the top of the first on a solo home run by Owen Walewander, but the Hawks answered with three in the bottom half.  Ben Peterson was hit by a pitch and Alex Kelsey singled before four consecutive walks forced in three runs for a 3-1 SJU lead.
 
• Richard Beggy hit a two-run home run in the second to extend the margin to 5-1 before Walewander went deep again, this time a three-run shot, to make it a 5-4 game after three.
 
• Kelsey pushed it to a two-run lead with a solo home run to right in the bottom of the fourth, but the Mountain Hawks rallied for five in the fifth to go ahead, 9-6.
 
• Saint Joseph's (16-11) took the lead for good in the bottom of the frame.  Walks to Jason Janesko and Jack Saker sandwiched around a single by Tim Dickinson loaded the bases with nobody out; two batters later, Peterson singled home Janesko to cut the deficit to two.
 
• Two batters later, Blake Primrose drew a walk to force in a run and bring up Beggy, who laced a single to right to put the Hawks back on top, 10-9.  Joey Pagano then followed with a home run to straightaway center field for a 13-9 Hawk advantage.
 
• Beggy and Pagano would add RBI singles in the seventh while Saker would tack on another run with a sacrifice fly.  Lehigh tallied one in the top of the eighth to set the final margin before the game was called.
 
BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
• Justin Sweeney allowed two hits and struck out three in two and a third shutout innings to earn the win, while Ryan Holman was charged with five runs on two hits and three walks in two-thirds of an inning to take the loss.
 
• Beggy finished with six runs batted in while Pagano added four.  Kelsey scored four times while Primrose and Beggy crossed the plate three times each.  Kelsey and Beggy collected three hits apiece as well, with Beggy adding a pair of walks to reach base safely in all five of his plate appearances.
 
• With the win, the Hawks move on to the semifinals of the Liberty Bell Classic, where they will host Rider next Tuesday, April 7, for a spot in the title game at Citizens Bank Park.
 
UP NEXT
The Hawks will host Saint Louis in a three-game conference series that kicks off on Thursday.