LEHIGH at HOLY CROSS

WORCESTER, Mass. (Interstat) — Lehigh visits Holy Cross on Saturday in the first game of a Patriot League doubleheader, with the Mountain Hawks looking to reverse a three-game losing streak to the Crusaders.

First pitch is scheduled for the early afternoon at Fitton Field. The weather forecast calls for partly cloudy skies.

Lehigh (12-26) enters on a high note after a 11-5 win at Saint Peter’s on Wednesday, but the Mountain Hawks have lost four of their last five overall. Holy Cross (16-24) dropped a 4-3 decision at Dartmouth on Tuesday, halting a two-game winning streak.

The teams met twice March 21 and once March 22, with Holy Cross winning all three games — 6-4, 1-0 and 7-2 — in a series played at Lehigh.

Players to Watch

Lehigh right-hander Ryan Holman has been erratic but dominant in his most recent outing. On Wednesday against Saint Peter’s, he tossed three scoreless innings, allowing no hits and striking out six. In his prior four appearances, however, Holman surrendered 10 earned runs across six innings, including five earned runs in two-thirds of an inning March 31 at Saint Joseph’s.

Holy Cross right-hander Aidan Gilbert matched Holman’s recent efficiency Tuesday, firing three hitless innings with three strikeouts at Dartmouth. Gilbert has allowed two earned runs or fewer in four of his last five outings. He gave up two earned runs in two innings in a 16-6 win over Army on April 4.

Notable Recent Results

Lehigh’s win at Saint Peter’s also featured strong relief from Ralph Gariano (3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 4 K) and center fielder Dom Patrizi, who went 3-for-4 with two RBIs. The Mountain Hawks scored 38 runs in a win at Coppin State on April 14, but have otherwise managed three runs or fewer in six of their last eight games.

Holy Cross’s loss at Dartmouth saw Nick Harnisch allow two earned runs in three innings, and Brock Graf tossed a scoreless inning. The Crusaders have lost four of their last six.

Simulator Projections

Interstat’s game simulator projects a 5-2 Lehigh victory. Interstat’s ELO system gives Holy Cross a 57.70 percent probability to win.

Upcoming Schedule

Both teams face a busy stretch. Lehigh plays a second game Saturday afternoon, then closes the series Sunday. Holy Cross hosts Harvard on Tuesday, followed by Bryant on Wednesday, before traveling to Lafayette next weekend. Lehigh hosts Bucknell for three games May 2-3.