FLEMINGTON, N.J. – The Lehman College baseball team dropped both ends of the season-opening doubleheader to host Centenary College, on Wednesday afternoon. The Lightning lost game one, 11-5, while falling in game two, 9-2.

In the first game, freshman outfielder Carlo Francisco (Yonkers, N.Y./Yonkers) led the Lightning with three hits, including an RBI triple in the top of the second, which pulled Lehman to within 2-1. In the top of the fourth inning, he hit a single that drove in freshman third baseman Christopher Lopez (Bronx, N.Y./Lehman H.S.) to shrink Centenary's lead to 7-2. That would begin a four-run inning for Lehman, which was capped off by an RBI single from freshman outfielder Miguel Rodriguez (Santiago, D.R./H.S. of World Cultures), to shrink Centenary's advantage to 7-5. Sophomore second-baseman Jason Laguna (Thiells, N.Y./North Rockland) also picked up a run batted in during the inning, while sophomore catcher Matthew Prevosti (Staten Island, N.Y./CSI H.S.) scored a run on an error. Senior Carlos Alcantara (Yonkers, N.Y./Saunders), Francisco, and Laguna each scored a run.

The Cyclones would stop Lehman's momentum by scoring four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, to extend their lead to 11-5, and that would be the final score.

On the mound, junior Matthew Brown (Astroria, N.Y./Holy Cross) took the loss. He gave up five earned runs, while striking out two hitters, in 2.1 innings pitched. Senior Wilfredo Gonzalez (Bronx, N.Y./St Raymond's H.S. for Boys) came in relief and gave up three earned runs, while picking up two strikeouts, in 3.2 innings pitched.

In the second game, senior outfielder Danny Rodriguez (New York, N.Y./Pennsbury) got Lehman on the board first, via an RBI triple that scored Lopez, in the top of the second. In the bottom of the third, the Cyclones scored four runs to take a 4-1 lead. They added four more runs in the bottom half of the fourth to put the game out of reach for the Lightning. Centenary went on to win, 9-2, to complete the sweep.

Senior infielder Jhon Comas (Yonkers, N.Y./Gregorio Luperon) picked up a run batted in, thanks to a walk with the bases loaded, while Miguel Rodriguez recorded a hit of his own. On the mound, senior Stephen Smith (Yonkers, N.Y./Saunders) took the loss. He gave up four earned runs, while striking out four hitters, in 3.2 innings pitched. Sophomore Francisco Pena (New York, N.Y./Landmark) pitched a full scoreless inning.