In the opening round of the CUNYAC Baseball Championships the third seed Lehman Lightning fell 4-3 to sixth seed Finlandia in a game played at Manhattanville College.  The Lightning finish their season at 15-21 while the Lions (9-16) move on to play John Jay later this afternoon as the double elimination phase of the tournament gets underway.

After a scoreless first inning, the Lions threatened in the second with a leadoff single and a walk.  However Lehman ace Manny Velasquez settled down inducing a foul out and a tailor made double play.  In the bottom half of the frame Natanel Toribio drew a two out walk, stole second and scored on an error by the Lions shortstop.  A leadoff double in the top of third followed by a single got Finlandia on the board.  After a sacrifice bunt and another single to right the Lions had their first lead of the morning 2-1.  The Lions manufactured another run in the top of the fifth and an additional run in the eighth to take a 4-1 lead.  The Lightning threatened in the ninth.  David Rodriguez led off the frame with a single right which was followed by a Toribio single which left the Lightning with first and third no out. Finlandia pitcher Joey Krug was able to induce a double play leaving the Lightning with just one out remaining.    Rodriguez scored on a wild pitch to cut the lead to 4-2.  Krug then loaded the bases on three straight walks and after a hit by pitch the Lightning trialed 4-3.  A fly out to right ended the game.   

The Lightning bats were kept quite all day as Lehman managed only three base hits.  Krug went the distance for the Lions pitching a complete game scattering three hits and striking out eight.  Velasquez received the loss pitching five innings surrendering two earned runs.