Game 1 Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - The University of Pennsylvania team swept Saturday's doubleheader with Lafayette in pair of one-run games behind a strong performance on the mound from the Quaker pitching staff - allowing just three runs on eight hits combined in the two contests. Jake Cousins turned in his first complete-game victory since 2015 in game one, and Gabe Kleiman followed with six and two-thirds solid innings to earn his first win of the season, while also pushing Penn's win streak to four.

GAME 1
Lafayette 1, Penn 2
WP: Jake Cousins (2-1) LP: Trevor Houck (1-4)

GAME 2

Lafayette 2, Penn 3

WP: Gabe Kleiman (1-0) LP: Brett Kreyer (0-5) SV: Jake Nelson (1)

BY THE NUMBERS

*2 - Lafayette was able to get the potential tying run to third with two outs in the last inning of both games Saturday, but Jake Cousins and Jake Nelson were able to induce ground outs to cap off two Penn wins.

*5 - Tim Graul drove in a run in each game today, pushing the Quakers' record to 5-3 when the senior picks up an RBI.

*6 - The Quakers pushed across the eventual game-winning run in the sixth inning of game two, and are now a perfect 5-0 this season when leading after six innings.

*8 - Jake Cousins set a season-high with eight strikeouts today in the complete-game effort. Cousins' game one victory marked his first complete-game since April 26, 2015 against Columbia.

HOW IT HAPPENED

GAME 1

The Quakers got out to a quick start in the series opener Saturday, as Andrew Murnane led off the bottom of the first with a single to left and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Matt O'Neill. Tim Graul and Daniel Halevy followed with run-scoring singles to left to plate two runs and provide some early run support for Jake Cousins on the mound.

The series-opener was dominated by pitching as Cousins turned in yet another quality start on the mound for the Quakers, striking out two batters in three of his seven innings pitched - culminating in a season-high eight strikeouts on the day. The senior's only blemish came in the second inning when Lafayette was able to push across its only run in game one on a weak ground out to first. The Leopards threatened to tie the game and two - and potentially take the lead - in the top of the seventh after the visitors loaded the bases on two hits and a walk with two outs. However, the righty was able to settle in and coax a ground out to Phelan at first to finish off the complete-game win.

Cousins allowed just one run on five hits to earn his second win of the season, while Peter Matt and Sean Phelan each doubled in the game one, 2-1 victory.

GAME 2

Gabe Kleiman followed suit in game two in what turned out to be his best start of the season on the mound thus far. The lefty retired nine of the first ten batters he faced, and did not allow his first hit until the fourth inning while striking out six on the day.

The Quakers opened the scoring again in game two with a two-spot in the third inning. Chris Adams lined a one-out single to left and was sacrificed to second before coming around to score the game's first run on an RBI knock from Murnane. Graul wasted no time in extending the lead to two, as the the left fielder roped a double off the fence in left to score Murnane, giving Penn an early 2-0 advantage.

The Leopards (2-20) responded in the top of the fourth by getting two runners on with one out, and Dan Leckie provided the equalizer with a two-run double to left to even the game at two. Kleiman rebounded to allow just one hit the rest of the way in his outing, putting himself in position to earn his first win of 2017.

After failing to score with the bases loaded and no outs in the bottom of the fifth, the Quakers looked to push across the go-ahead run in the middle innings after Matt lined a one-out double to left to put himself in scoring position. After an error in the Lafayette infield pushed Matt up to third, O'Neill plated the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly to center to make it a 3-2 game.

Grant Guillory was brilliant out of the bullpen yet again, striking out three of the four batters he faced without allowing a hit before handing the ball over to Jake Nelson for the save opportunity. After the leadoff batter in the ninth reached and advanced to third with two outs, Nelson was able to roll a ground ball to Adams who flipped it over to Phelan just in time to cap off a 3-2 win and doubleheader sweep.

WHAT'S NEXT

Penn and Lafayette continue their series Sunday with the second of two doubleheaders this weekend. Left-handers Mike Reitcheck (Game 1) and Adam Bleday (Game 2) are the scheduled starters for the Quakers, with first pitch of game one set for 12 p.m.

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