Lehigh University
Niagara
Mountain Hawks rally past Niagara for 3-2 win
3/15/2009 1:30:00 PM | Softball
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Down 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning, Lehigh rallied to pull out a 3-2 victory over Niagara in the final game of a three-game series Sunday afternoon at Kaufman Field. Junior Brooke Lewis drew a one out bases loaded walk in the bottom of the sixth, brining in sophomore Alex Cueva with the eventual winning run as the Mountain Hawks captured their second straight victory and move to 10-8 on the season.
The visiting Purple Eagles (9-7) jumped in front in the top of the fourth inning on a two-run home run by Jenna Baker off Lehigh senior Lisa Sweeney.
Lehigh looked to bounce back in the bottom of the fourth, loading the bases with one out, but Cueva grounded into a force play and sophomore Sam Miller flied out to centerfield to end the threat.
In the fifth inning the Mountain Hawks threatened again and pulled within a run as freshman Audra Wood scored on a sacrifice fly by classmate Julie Fernandez.
The Mountain Hawks finally took the lead in the sixth after loading the bases on hits by senior Alisha Gonzales and Cueva and a walk to Miller. With one out, sophomore Carly Potock grounded a single through the left side bringing Gonzales home with the tying run. The next batter, Lewis drew a four-pitch walk to put Lehigh in front for the first time in the game.
Baker led off the seventh inning with a single, but Sweeney retired the next three batters to lock down her sixth victory of the season. Sweeney allowed two runs on five hits while striking out five as she improves to 6-4. Michelle Krier was charged with the loss allowing three runs on eight hits in 5.1 innings of work.
Lehigh out-hit Niagara 9-5, led by Gonzales, who was 3-for-3 for the Brown and White.
The Mountain Hawks return to action on Wednesday with a doubleheader at Delaware. First pitch for game one is set for 2 p.m. from Newark, Del.
