Baseball's Two-Run Eighth Inning Lifts Bison to 3-2 Win Over Lehigh

Friday, March 27

Lewisburg, Pa.

3 p.m.

Bucknell University

12-11, 6-1

Lehigh

6-16, 2-5

Lehigh

Bucknell

Photo by: Steven Schoenfelder

Baseball's Two-Run Eighth Inning Lifts Bison to 3-2 Win Over Lehigh

3/27/2026 6:36:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

LEWISBURG, Pa. – Lleyton Coupe and John Calabrese drove in runs in the eighth to give the Bison a 3-1 lead and Hadley Maxwell escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth to close out a 3-2 win over Lehigh on Friday afternoon at Depew Field at Marren Park. Bucknell's 6-1 start in the Patriot League matches its best start since 2022.

Tied 1-1, Ty Lagoni had a hard-hit single up the middle to kick off the bottom of the eighth, and Zach Selfon doubled over the right fielder's head to put two runners in scoring position with one out. Lleyton Coupe chopped a ground ball to the right side and Chris Morabito, who was pinch-running, beat the throw home to give the Bison a 2-1 lead. Selfon was picked off at third, but Coupe advanced to second on the play to set up an RBI single by Calabrese to make it 3-1.

Hadley Maxwell took over for Tyler Hawkins with the bases loaded in the ninth. Ryan Cochran hit a sharp ground ball to third base, but Selfon made a great play sliding to his left to get the force out at third for the second out. The run came across to make it 3-2, and Lehigh would have tied the game up if not for a diving effort on another ground ball up the middle by Lagoni. Maxwell forced a pop-up to second base to end the game.

Bucknell (12-11, 6-1 PL) had another great start on the mound, this time by Everett Garber. The sophomore went a career-high seven innings on the mound, allowing just one run on five hits in the game. His only stain was a solo home run by Owen Walewander in the sixth. The right-hander struck out seven batters and stranded six baserunners.

Walewander's home run broke the scoreless deadlock in the sixth inning. Bucknell answered immediately in the bottom half on a well-executed squeeze bunt by Selfon. Lagoni walked and Garrett Mathias singled to put runners on the corners. Selfon laid his bunt perfectly to bring the run home to tie the ballgame 1-1. The Bison stranded two runners but chased Lehigh (6-16, 2-5 PL) starter Sam Fairhurst who pitched five scoreless innings to start the game.

Both teams had eight hits in the ballgame and Lehigh made the game's only error. Lehigh drew four walks and Bucknell drew three. Both teams struck out seven times at the plate.

Calabrese was 2-for-3 in the game with his seventh double of the season and the game-winning run in the eighth. Coupe and Selfon both had a hit in the game and drove in a run.

Bucknell and Lehigh continue the series on Saturday with first pitch at 1 p.m. at Depew Field at Marren Park.