BETHLEHEM, Pa. (Interstat) — Jaden Wywoda authored a masterful performance on the mound, carrying a no-hit bid into the seventh inning to lead Holy Cross to a 1-0 victory over Lehigh in the first game of a Patriot League doubleheader at Legacy Park on Saturday.

The Crusaders’ ace was dominant from the start, striking out nine Mountain Hawks batters over seven shutout innings. He did not allow a hit until Jack Frankovic’s leadoff single in the fifth inning, which was promptly erased by a double play. Wywoda faced just three batters over the minimum, walking one and benefiting from solid defense behind him.

Holy Cross (8-13) scratched across the game’s only run in the fifth inning against Lehigh reliever Christopher Nell. CJ Egrie led off with a walk, advanced to third on a Braden Connors single and a wild pitch, and scored on Van Coughlin’s RBI groundout to second base. That lone run stood up as the decisive blow.

The Crusaders out-hit the Mountain Hawks seven to four but struggled to capitalize, stranding multiple runners. Gianni Royer led the Holy Cross offense with two hits and a walk. Lehigh starter Sam Fairhurst was sharp in a no-decision, scattering four hits over four scoreless innings with four strikeouts. Nell took the loss, allowing the unearned run on three hits in three innings of relief.

Lehigh (4-14) threatened only once, putting runners on second and third with one out in the second inning following an Owen Walewander double and an error. Wywoda escaped the jam by striking out Jack Frankovic and Silvio Giardina to end the inning. The Mountain Hawks managed just two other baserunners against Wywoda, who retired the final seven batters he faced.

The most critical sequence of the game occurred in that second inning. With Lehigh threatening to seize early momentum, Wywoda demonstrated his composure. After a sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position with just one out, the right-hander overpowered Frankovic and Giardina with swinging strikeouts, extinguishing the home team’s best scoring chance and setting the tone for his commanding outing.

The victory continued a strong stretch for Wywoda, who pitched six shutout innings against Army in his previous start. The loss extended a difficult start to the season for Lehigh, which has now dropped 10 of its last 11 games.

The two teams were scheduled to conclude the doubleheader later Saturday afternoon.