Lehigh University
Saint Joseph's
Game with St. Joe's cancelled due to snow
3/16/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh softball team begins its quest for another Patriot League championship this weekend when the Mountain Hawks host Colgate for four games at Kaufman Field. Lehigh has won the last 11 Patriot League regular season championships and five of the last six tournament crowns. The Mountain Hawks were once again picked first in the league’s preseason poll and appear to be hitting their stride, winning seven of their last eight games after a 7-7 start to the season.
On Wednesday, Lehigh swept a doubleheader from Princeton winning 4-3 and 8-5. Four different Mountain Hawks had three hits in the doubleheader, including freshman Jacqi Kennelly, who added three RBI while subbing for injured sophomore Jen Colquhoun at shortstop. Lehigh hopes to have Colquhoun back for this weekend’s series as she batted .529 with 12 RBI in the team’s previous six games and was named Patriot League Player of the Week. Classmates Julie Fernandez and Audra Wood have also found their groove on the current home stand. Fernandez is batting .458 over the last eight games and is currently riding a 13 game hitting streak, while Wood owns a .385 average and eight runs scored out of the leadoff spot in the last eight games.
In the pitcher’s circle, senior Tiffany Curtis picked up her ninth win of the season against the Tigers and matched her season-high with eight strikeouts. Freshman Rebecca Bliss earned her second win of the year in the nightcap; while junior Bri Gaumer threw three innings of scoreless, one-hit relief to earn her first career save.
The Mountain Hawks will open league play against a Colgate team that was picked second in the league’s preseason poll after finishing the 2009 regular season in second place. The Raiders have enjoyed the best start of any Patriot League team with a 17-5 record entering this weekend’s action. Last weekend Colgate went 3-1 at a tournament hosted by Delaware State, posting wins over Maryland-Eastern Shore, North Carolina Central and Howard, while the Raiders lone loss came to the host Hornets.
Raider senior Jesse McCarrick and junior Lacy Ver Steeg combined to pitch just the fourth perfect game in Patriot League history in a 9-0, five-inning blanking of UMES. Michelle Hollebeke has been Colgate’s top pitcher with a 9-2 record and 1.20 ERA in 64 innings of work.
Colgate has proven to be a dangerous offensive team, averaging over six runs per game with a .322 team average. Stephanie Hartquist leads the offense with a .424 average and 20 RBI, while Jennifer Ortega and Natalie Siedhof have both hit four home runs, while driving in 19 and 17 runs respectively.
Lehigh owns a 52-22 lead in the series with Colgate. Last year, the Mountain Hawks outscored the Raiders 37-26 en route to winning three out of four games in Hamilton, N.Y.
The Mountain Hawks and Raiders will play doubleheaders Saturday and Sunday at Kaufman Field with first pitch both days set for 12 p.m. Streaming audio of Saturday’s doubleheader will be broadcast online at Lehighsports.com.
Watch the Lehigh Softball Preview vs. Colgate!
