WORCESTER, Mass. (Interstat) — Jake Lenahan pitched seven innings of five-hit shutout ball and Nick Andersen hit a two-run homer as Holy Cross defeated Lehigh 3-2 on Saturday in the first game of a Patriot League doubleheader.

The Crusaders improved to 18-24 overall and 8-6 in the Patriot League. The Mountain Hawks fell to 12-28 and 5-9.

Lenahan allowed five hits, struck out six and walked none while lowering his earned-run average. He did not allow an earned run. In his previous start April 17 against Navy, Lenahan pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowing three earned runs on five hits in a loss.

Holy Cross took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. Ian Royer singled to right center with one out and Andersen followed by driving a pitch over the right-center field wall for his first home run of the game, scoring Royer and tying the score at 2-2.

Lehigh had scored two runs in the top of the first inning without the benefit of a hit. Robbie Carvelli reached on a fielder’s choice and advanced to second on a throwing error by Holy Cross third baseman Simon Landry. Aidan Quinn walked, and after a groundout moved the runners, Trystan Crawford struck out to end the inning, but Lehigh already had the two runs.

Holy Cross tied the game in the fourth and the score remained 2-2 until the eighth inning. Lehigh took a 3-2 lead in the top of the eighth. Robby Grasso singled, advanced to second on a wild pitch and moved to third on a hit-by-pitch. Carvelli then flied out to center field for a sacrifice fly, scoring Grasso.

Lehigh added an insurance run in the top of the ninth when Crawford homered to center field, giving the Mountain Hawks a 4-2 lead.

Holy Cross answered in the bottom of the ninth. Nick Andersen singled up the middle and Simon Landry singled to right field, putting runners on first and second with no outs. Cole Leaman was relieved by Ralph Gariano. Macade Maxwell pinch-ran for Andersen.

Liam Daly reached on a fielder’s choice, with Landry forced out at second. Maxwell advanced to third on the throw. Van Coughlin then laid down a bunt single that scored Maxwell and moved Daly to second. The game ended when the next batter grounded out, giving Holy Cross the walk-off victory.

Lehigh starter Cole Leaman pitched eight innings, allowing no hits and three earned runs while striking out six. He was charged with the loss after allowing the winning run in the ninth. Gariano pitched the final 0.1 innings, allowing no hits and no runs.

For Holy Cross, reliever Thomas Skrobe pitched 1.1 innings, allowing one hit and one earned run with one strikeout to earn the win. Brock Graf pitched 0.2 innings, allowing two hits and one earned run.

At the plate, Holy Cross finished with eight hits. Andersen went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs. Simon Landry also had two hits. Ryan Grundy doubled and scored a run. For Lehigh, Crawford went 1-for-4 with a home run and an RBI. Carvelli went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Ian Wirtz had a hit.

Lehigh grounded into two double plays. The Mountain Hawks had beaten Saint Peter’s 11-5 on Wednesday but had lost three of their previous four games coming in. Holy Cross had lost its last game to Dartmouth 4-3 on Tuesday.

The two teams were scheduled to play the second game of the doubleheader later Saturday. Holy Cross entered the game having won all three previous meetings this season, all played at Lehigh in March.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of Lehigh 5, Holy Cross 2, while Interstat’s ELO system gave Holy Cross a 57.70 percent probability to win the game.