PHILADELPHIA – Set to play three games this weekend on the road against a familiar foe, the University of Pennsylvania baseball team heads to Easton to face Lafayette on Friday (3 p.m.) and on Saturday (a DH beginning at noon).
 
A reminder, Sunday's single game originally scheduled for noon was moved to Friday due to impending weather in the Lehigh Valley.
 
GAME 11-13: Penn (1-9, 0-0 Ivy) at Lafayette (2-13, 0-0 Patriot)
March 14-15 | Kamine Stadium | Easton, Pa.
Watch on Lafayette YouTube (Saturday Only) | Live Stats
 
The Lafayette Series
Penn and Lafayette have played a lot of games in its series history, the Quakers with an all-time record of 74-52-1 since the first meeting back in 1882.
 
Penn has won seven of the last 10 matchups, taking two of three in last year's series at Tommy Lasorda Field. From 2016 to 2019, the Quakers had won eight straight games.
 
The last time these two teams met back on March 17, 2024, Penn put up two eight-spots on the scoreboard en route to a 22-8 victory in Philly.
 
On the road in Easton, the Quakers are 26-27-1 against the Leopards.
 
Earlier This Week
When the series wraps up on Saturday, it'll be a four-game week for the Quakers after playing Rutgers in a midweek Tuesday at Tommy Lasorda Field.
 
It was a close one, with the Quakers taking a 2-1 lead into the eighth inning before the Scarlet Knights tied it up on a solo home run. The two teams went toe to toe in extra innings before Rutgers pulled off the suicide squeeze bunt in the top of the 11th, scoring the game-winning run.
 
Penn had Cole McGonigal in scoring position—by way of a single and a stolen base—in the bottom of the 11th, but Caden Fahy and Connor Chavez recorded the final two outs to fall just short, 3-2.
 
Davis Baker led the offensive charge with a 3-for-4 afternoon while Josh Katz, Andrew Miehe, and Tommy Delany all threw scoreless innings. Thomas Shurtleff (0-2) was charged with the loss after allowing the one run to score on the bunt, surrendering two hits.
 
Defensive Woes
Defense has been an issue for the Quakers this season so far, evident by their three errors in the field on Tuesday, doing so for the second time this year.
 
Penn's defense has committed at least one error in nine of its 10 games.
 
At The Plate
Only one Penn hitter—Gavin Collins (.310)—is hitting above the .300 mark to begin the season, leading the team with 13 hits and tied for the lead in RBIs (6) with Jarrett Pokrovsky.
 
Three players are close to the threshold in Ryan Taylor (.294), Asa Wilson (.294), and Qwynn Ahearn (.292). Ahearn has the team lead in home runs with two through eight games.
Ahearn (.912), Taylor (.903), and Collins (.832) lead the team in OPS so far this year with Taylor reaching base at a .432 clip.
 
Taylor leads the Ivy League in walks per game (0.90), while Chavez and Pokrovsky are tied for the league lead in doubles per game (0.40).
 
On The Mound
Penn pitching only allowed three runs against a solid Rutgers offense on Tuesday, getting stronger as we get closer to the start of Ivy League play.
 
Sebastian Haggard (0-0, 2.70 ERA) has been electric to begin his collegiate career, striking out 17 batters over 10.0 innings, walking only three. He leads the Ivy League in K/9 (15.30) and is ranked 11th nationally.
 
Jake Moss (0-0, 4.00), Thomas Shurtleff (0-2, 1.59), Connor Darling (0-0, 6.23), and John Cerwinski (0-1, 4.76) have been reliable arms out of the pen through the first 10 contests.
 
Last weekend's starting rotation vs. Delaware included Noah Millikan (0-1, 8.18), Haggard, and Will Tobin (0-1, 7.71).
 
Scouting The Leopards
It's been a struggle to start the season for Lafayette, going 2-13 overall with a 1-11 road record. The Leopards are currently on a four-game losing streak after falling to Richmond twice, UMass Lowell on Sunday and Manhattan at home on Tuesday.
 
Lafayette pitching has allowed 50 runs over its last three games including 17 against the Jaspers and 16 at the Spiders over the weekend.
 
Like Penn, Lafayette only has one hitter batting above .300 in Easton Brenner (.311). He also leads the team with a .964 OPS. Brenner, Ethan Swidler, Michael Zarrillo, and Jack Mislan all lead the way with two home runs.
 
While only posting an on-base percentage of .333, Liam Ebbs leads the Leopards with nine walks.
 
On the mound, Mike Romano (1-0, 0.00 ERA) has not allowed an earned run in 9.2 innings this year, striking out eight and walking six. Starter Joe Skapinetz (0-2, 7.16) has a team-high 19 strikeouts, walking six in 18.1 innings.
 
Follow The Action
Only Saturday's doubleheader will be streamed live on Lafayette's YouTube channel with live stats provided for all three games.
 
For the latest on Penn baseball, follow @PennBaseball on X (formerly Twitter), @Penn_Baseball on Instagram, and on the web at PennAthletics.com.