Lehigh University
Holy Cross
Mountain Hawks win two, move into first place tie
4/21/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
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The victories also moved the Mountain Hawks into a tie for first place in the Patriot League standings, as Colgate split its doubleheader with
Lehigh out-hit the Crusaders 12-1 in the opener. Senior Heather Hamasaki was 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI, and drove in Lehigh’s first run with a first inning double that scored junior Kate Marvel. The Brown and White added three more runs in the third inning, on an RBI double from senior Mendy Martin, a single from junior Taryn Hanley and Marvel’s seventh triple of the season.
In the fifth inning, Hamasaki made it 5-0, with her second RBI single, which scored junior Megan Conrad.
Schenbeck led off the sixth with her second home run of the season, and Lehigh put the game away with RBI singles from Lowe and senior Lauren Haney, as the game ended via the eight run rule.
Sweeney earned her 15th victory of the season, striking out eight and allowing just a fifth inning single to Amanda Webster and a walk to Rory Ogden.
Fielding a lineup consisting of all seven seniors on senior day, Lehigh fell behind 3-0 after the top of the first inning, before tying the game with three in the bottom of the first. Haney delivered a two-run double that scored Marvel and Conrad, and two batters later Martin singled to score pinch runner Ali Torborg.
The Mountain Hawks took a 4-3 lead in the second on a sacrifice fly by Conrad, and senior Stefanie Forlenza and freshman Tiffany Curtis made it stand, until the seventh inning.
After a one out walk Jayme Elliott reached on a throwing error from senior Stephanie Palmieri, allowing Amanda Audette to score from first with the tying run. Palmieri atoned for her mistake, gunning down Elliott at the plate two batters later to preserve the tie. With runners on second and third with two outs, head coach Fran Troyan brought back Sweeney, who despite entering the game behind in the count 2-0 got Kelly O’Neil to foul out to Palmieri at third.
In the bottom of the seventh Martin led off with a walk and Schenbeck reached on an error. A sacrifice bunt from freshman Lauren Eichblatt moved runners to second and third, setting the stage for Lowe’s game-winning single through the left side.
In the circle, Forlenza went the first four inning, allowing three runs on seven hits, while striking out three. Curtis struck out five in her 2.2 innings of work, but yielded the tying run in the seventh. Sweeney was credited with the win and improves to 16-4 on the season.
The losses drop Holy Cross to 4-34 overall, 1-13 in league games.
Lehigh and Holy Cross will conclude their four game series on Sunday with a doubleheader at Kaufman Field beginning at noon. The games will be broadcast online at lehighsports.com with streaming audio powered by Yahoo! Sports.
