As the regular season winds down in Patriot League play, the playoff push is really heating up for both the Lehigh baseball and softball teams.
Success on the road this past weekend has made the postseason picture brighter.
For both teams, the Patriot League regular season slate wraps up with a critical home series this weekend.
The Mountain Hawks baseball team was in Annapolis this past weekend in desperate need of wins, and Lehigh’s offense came to life as LU took three of four from host Navy. Second baseman Jesse Novalis tied a Patriot League record with his 26th career home run, and set a new Lehigh mark with career hit numbers 198 and 199. Lehigh stands at 7-9 in league play, in a virtual tie with Bucknell for the third and final playoff spot.
Meanwhile, the Lehigh softball squad is really on a roll, having won 14 straight games against league competition. This past weekend, the Mountain Hawks swept a four-game set at Holy Cross, with pitcher Kate Arico (12-1) winning three contests. The series sweep means that Lehigh has clinched a spot in the Patriot League’s postseason tournament for the 12th straight season.
So what’s on tap for the week ahead? With just four league games remaining for both teams, quite a bit is at stake this weekend.
Lehigh’s baseball team wraps up the league schedule in a crucial showdown with archrival Lafayette at Goodman Field. The Leopards (9-7) currently stand in second place in the league, after taking three of four from Bucknell. Army (14-2) has clinched the top seed and will host the tournament beginning May 8 at Doubleday Field. While the Mountain Hawks battle the Leopards in doubleheaders on both Saturday and Sunday, Lehigh fans will want to keep a close eye on the scoreboard, as the Bison host Holy Cross (5-11).
The Mountain Hawks softball team will host defending league champion Colgate in a pivotal series beginning Saturday at Kaufman Field. If Lehigh (14-2 in league play) can win at least three games, the Mountain Hawks would be assured their sixth straight regular season title, and they would earn the right to host the league championship on May 1-2. The Lehigh magic number is 3, as any combination of Lehigh victories and Army losses to Lafayette would give the Brown and White the top spot. Army (12-4 PL) and Colgate (11-5 PL) have also clinched tournament berths, with one spot remaining.
Prior to the weekend, Lehigh baseball battles Lafayette in a non-league game. The contest is the semifinal round of the Liberty Bell Classic, and will take place on Tuesday, April 20 at 6:00 at Limeport Stadium. The softball program visits Rider for a mid-week two-game tilt on Wednesday.
As always, the latest results and playoff implications for all Lehigh teams can be found on Lehigh’s web site at lehighsports.com. Stay tuned…it oughtta be a fun weekend!
