Baseball Rallies for 5-Game Win Streak

Leopards sweep Holy Cross, defeat Villanova and Manhattan to turn around early-season struggles

Apr. 3, 2026 at 8:06am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a baseball game, with sharp, overlapping planes of bright red, blue, and yellow colors representing the dynamic action on the field.The Lafayette baseball team's recent five-game win streak has them back in the Patriot League playoff hunt after a rough start to the season.Manhattan Today

After starting the season 2-17, the Lafayette College baseball team caught fire this past week with a five-game win streak, sweeping Holy Cross in a three-game road series before picking up non-conference victories against Villanova University and Manhattan University.

Why it matters

The Leopards' turnaround has them back in the Patriot League playoff hunt after a rough start to the season. The team's resilience and ability to overcome early deficits has been a key factor in their recent success.

The details

In the series against Holy Cross, the Leopards rallied from early deficits in multiple games, including a five-run seventh inning to secure a 9-3 win on Friday. Freshman infielder Will Dobil had a standout series, earning Patriot League Rookie of the Week honors. The Leopards then defeated Villanova 11-1 and Manhattan 6-5 in walk-off fashion to extend their winning streak to five games.

  • On April 3, the Leopards defeated Holy Cross 9-3 in the series opener.
  • On April 4, the Leopards split a doubleheader with Holy Cross, winning 7-6 in the second game.
  • On April 5, the Leopards completed the sweep of Holy Cross with a 13-9 victory.
  • On April 7, the Leopards defeated Villanova 11-1.
  • On April 8, the Leopards defeated Manhattan 6-5 in walk-off fashion.

The players

Liam Ebbs

Sophomore first baseman for the Lafayette College baseball team.

Jack Mislan

Outfielder for the Lafayette College baseball team.

Will Dobil

Freshman infielder for the Lafayette College baseball team, who earned Patriot League Rookie of the Week honors.

Boden Fernsler

Sophomore infielder for the Lafayette College baseball team.

Matt Colella

Junior infielder for the Lafayette College baseball team.

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What they’re saying

“We've been doing a really good job of picking each other up. Pitchers, defense, hitters.”

— Matt Colella, Junior infielder

“He's worked for everything he's gotten. It's really cool to see it pay off.”

— Matt Colella, Junior infielder

“In those games, we never felt out of it. Pitchers kept us in it, and hitters found ways to get guys on base and execute.”

— Trace Florio, Senior left-handed pitcher

“We were just trying to keep the momentum going.”

— Trace Florio, Senior left-handed pitcher

“We're playing our best baseball right now. The goal is just to keep that going.”

— Trace Florio, Senior left-handed pitcher

What’s next

The Leopards will look to extend their winning streak this weekend, taking on Bucknell University (8-1 Patriot League, 15-11 overall) in a three-game homestand.

The takeaway

After a rough start to the season, the Lafayette College baseball team has shown remarkable resilience and teamwork to turn things around with a five-game win streak. Their ability to overcome early deficits and get contributions from across the roster has them back in the Patriot League playoff hunt.