Mountain Hawks split pair on Opening Day

Monday, March 6

Kissimmeee, Fla.

08:50 AM

Lehigh University

Robert Morris

3/6/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Lehigh opened its 2006 season on Monday, by splitting a pair of games at the Osceola Sports Complex. The Mountain Hawks opened things up with a 12-6 win over defending NEC Champion Robert Morris, before dropping a close game to South Dakota State 1-0. The Brown and White stand at 1-1 as they open up a week full of games in Florida.

Lehigh’s offense exploded out of the gate against Robert Morris as the Mountain Hawks put five runs on the scoreboard in the second inning. After a bases loaded walk to Megan Conrad and an infield single by Kate Marvel, junior Heather Hamasaki cleared the bases with a three-run triple to put Lehigh up 5-0.

The lead grew to 8-0 when Lehigh tacked three more on in the top of the fifth, behind RBI singles from Marvel and freshman Whitney Lowe.

The Colonials battled back with six runs in the bottom of the fifth to pull within two, but the Mountain Hawks plated four more in the top of the seventh, as Lauren Haney drove in a run when she was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, and then senior Mary Wieder cleared the bases with a triple, her third extra base hit of the game.

Freshman Lisa Sweeney started in the circle and allowed just one hit in 6.1 innings of work, with six strikeouts. She started the game, and pitched the first four innings, then re-entered with two outs in the fifth.

Wieder finished 3-for-4 with three RBI, while Marvel finished with four hits, two runs scored and two RBI.

The Mountain Hawks failed to muster similar offensive results against South Dakota State. Lehigh was limited to four hits and simply could not push a run across when needed. The game’s only run came in the top of the fourth, when the Jackrabbits’ Kassy Hernandez plated Brooke Postma with an RBI double.

Senior Kate Arico pitched well in a losing effort, yielding just the one run on five hits in seven innings.

The Mountain Hawks will resume play at the Rebel Spring Games on Tuesday. Lehigh will face St. Bonaventure at 2:20 then will take on Monmouth at 4:10 from the Osceola Sports Complex.