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Princeton University Athletics
Ivy Champion Princeton Meets Patriot Champion Lehigh in Baseball
May 26, 2006 | Baseball
May 26, 2006
PRINCETON - The Princeton baseball team became the first team to qualify for the 2006 NCAA tournament when it defeated Harvard on May 6 in the Ivy League Championship Series. It is three weeks later and only three other automatic bids have been handed out. While most conference tournaments are going on this weekend, two of the teams already in - Princeton and Patriot League champion Lehigh - will meet for a two-game series to get some of the rust off and prepare for next weekend's NCAA regionals.
The Tigers (18-23-1, 11-9 Ivy) won their third Ivy title in four seasons and their fifth since 2000 with a two-game sweep at Harvard on May 6. Princeton jumped out early for a 9-3 win in the opening game, then cruised to an 8-2 triumph in the nightcap to regain the title and return to the NCAA tournament after not making it in 2005.
Lehigh (27-25, 13-7 Patriot) won its first-ever Patriot League title a week after Princeton by sweeping Bucknell, and is preparing to make its first NCAA Appearance. Since the two qualified for the NCAA field, only Prairie View A&M, the winners of the SWAC, and Bethune-Cookman, the MEAC champions, have also clinched automatic bids into the field. The remaining automatic bids will be handed out this weekend in conference tournaments.
Princeton and Lehigh have met 44 times dating back to 1890, but have not played since the 1998 season, when in Scott Bradley's first year at Princeton, the Tigers defeated Lehigh 9-7 at home. Princeton has a 37-7 record all-time in the series.
Princeton and Lehigh have played two common opponents in the 2006 season. The teams both split a four-game series with Penn, while Lehigh swept a four-game series at Navy. Princeton played at Navy early in the season and went 1-2, however both losses came in Navy's final at bat.
Lehigh is led offensively by Matt McBride, whose .421 average ranks 12th in the nation. McBride is also the Mountain Hawks' leader in hits (82), doubles (17), home runs (10) and RBIs (53). Lehigh has five other batters hitting above .300 and the team hits .296. The top two Lehigh starters both ERAs under 4.00 and have thrown more than 70 innings. The team ERA is 5.08. Princeton's offense is led by senior Zach Wendkos, who sits atop most offensive categories. His .338 batting average leads the team, as do his 52 hits, 13 doubles, eight home runs and 38 RBIs. Junior Aaron Prince (.336) and senior Andrew Salini (.322) give Princeton three batters over .300, and the Tigers hit .276 as a team. All four of Princeton's weekend starters have an ERA below 4.00 with sophomore Christian Staehely's 2.48 ERA ranked in the nation's top 60. Princeton team ERA of 4.17 ranks 58th in the nation. The two teams meet on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m., at Princeton's Clarke Field, before completing the two-game set on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m., at Lehigh. The NCAA will announce the tournament field on Monday afternoon at 12:30 p.m. The selection show will air live on ESPN.