Lehigh University Athletics
Lehigh loses heartbreaker in the seventh
9/22/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Bethlehem, PA – Freshman Emily Ling went 11 innings in game one as Lehigh beat Army 4-2 to advance to the Patriot League Championship, but Ling and Lehigh didn’t have enough left in the tank as the Black Knights rallied for two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning of the second game to top the Mountain Hawks 2-1 and grab the Patriot League Championship. With the win, Army clinched the league’s automatic berth in the NCAA Regional Tournament. Lehigh finished the season 36-16 overall while Army improved to 30-19-1. In the championship game Lehigh led 1-0 after scoring in the top of the fourth inning on an error by the shortstop. The Mountain Hawks held that lead until the bottom of the seventh when with one out Lauren Gobar started the Army rally with a walk. Kari Burke then sacrificed Gobar to second with a bunt. With two outs, Melissa Parrish hit a double down the left field line that plated Gobar and tied the game at one. It was questionable whether the ball was foul or fair as the home plate umpire called it foul but the third base umpire called fair. Apparently the ball landed right on the line and it is ultimately the third base umpire’s call. Nevertheless, the run counted and set up Bianca Brito for the game winning hit. Brito hit a blooper to left center field that scored Parrish and gave the Black Knights the 2002 Patriot League Championship. Ling was credited with the loss in game two as she allowed both runs on two hits. Ling entered the game in relief of starter Stephanie Howell in the bottom of the sixth with two on and no one out. Howell allowed four hits in five innings of work. Stephanie Digneo and Jenny Bender each went 2-for-3 in the game and Jessica Young recorded the fifth Lehigh hit going 1-for-3. Digneo scored the only Lehigh run. Game one was one for the ages as both teams battled through 11 innings with the Mountain Hawks eventually coming out on top. Senior Shannon Long’s single in the top of the 11th plated two runners and gave Lehigh a 4-2 lead. Ling allowed two hits in the bottom of the 11th but held on for the win forcing the championship game. Bender, Elizabeth Gripp, and Shana Treon each had two hits in the game with Bender and Treon each recording an RBI. Both pitchers, Ling and Army’s Shauna Evans, were nearly untouchable after the fifth inning when the game was tied at two. Evans sent down 17 Lehigh hitters in a row at one point but suffered the loss. Ling picked up the win allowing two unearned runs on six hits while striking out six. Army two runs came on an error by shortstop Stephanie Digneo when she lost a popup in the sun. Digneo was injured on the play as the ball hit her in the head, but she did not leave the game. Game 1
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | Â | R | H | E |
Lehigh | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | Â | 4 | 10 | 2 |
Army | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Â | 2 | 6 | 1 |
Winning Pitcher: Emily Ling (13-4) Losing Pitcher: Shauna Evans (17-7) Game 2
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Â | R | H | E |
Lehigh | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Â | 1 | 5 | 1 |
Army | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | Â | 2 | 6 | 2 |
Winning Pitcher: Shauna Evans (18-7) Losing Pitcher: Emily Ling (13-5)
