Lehigh University
Army
Mountain Hawks split on first day at Army
4/10/2010 6:00:00 PM | Softball
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WEST POINT, N.Y. – In its first road action of the Patriot League season, Lehigh split a doubleheader with Army Saturday at the Army Softball Complex. Sophomore Tenley Halaquist returned to the Lehigh lineup by hitting two home runs and freshman Liz Lucas drilled a three-run homer as the Mountain Hawks took game one 10-3, but the Brown and White left nine runners on base in the nightcap as Jessica Garcia’s walk-off single gave the Black Knights a 1-0 victory. With the split, Lehigh is now 20-10 overall and 4-2 in the Patriot League, one game behind Army which is now 5-1 in the league and 17-13 overall.
Lehigh scored ten straight runs to take a commanding lead in the opener. Sophomore Audra Wood led off the game with a bunt single, stole second, and eventually scored on an Army error to give the Mountain Hawks a 1-0 lead two batters into the game. Lucas then began a big day for her with two-out RBI single that scored junior Alex Cueva to give Lehigh a 2-0 lead after one.
In the second, Lehigh tacked on a run when Wood doubled home freshman Rosie Roessel who reached on a fielder’s choice.
The Mountain Hawks were kept off the board in the third inning, but added to their lead in the fourth as Halaquist belted her first career home run, a one-out shot to right center. Lehigh’s lead grew to 5-0 on Lucas’ second RBI single of the game, which scored Cueva in the fifth inning.
In the sixth, Lehigh looked to put the game out of reach by plating five more runs to take a 10-0 lead. Halaquist led off the frame with her second home run of the game, this one going over the fence in left center. The Mountain Hawks loaded the bases with one out before sophomore Jen Colquhoun drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to center in her return to the lineup. Lucas then capped off a 3-for-4, five RBI effort with a three-run blast to left field, her second of the season.
Army denied Lehigh a run-rule win by scoring three runs in the bottom of the sixth, but senior Tiffany Curtis retired the Black Knights in order in the seventh to wrap-up her 12th win of the season. The three runs Curtis allowed were unearned as she allowed just five hits while walking two and striking out four to improve to 12-4 on the season. Jessi Muckelroy took the loss for Army allowing ten runs (four earned) in seven innings.
Lehigh totaled nine hits in the opener with the nine coming from just four players: Lucas with three and Wood, Halaquist and sophomore Julie Fernandez registering two each.
In game two both teams registered seven hits but Lehigh freshman Rebecca Bliss and Army’s Shawna Bleyl continually worked out of trouble.
The Mountain Hawks had serious threats in the first, third and seventh innings but were unable to come up with a clutch hit.
Army had two runners on with one out in the sixth but Bliss induced Alexis AuBuchon to ground into an inning-ending double play.
In the seventh, Reanna Johnson singled to left center with one out, and moved to second base on a ground out. Garcia’s two-out single to left center brought Johnson home to give Army the win and a doubleheader split.
Bleyl went the distance on a seven-hitter, walking two and striking out two, while Bliss (5-4) took a hard-luck loss, allowing just the one run while striking out four. Cueva led Lehigh with two hits in the nightcap, while Julie Fernandez added a single to extend her hitting streak to 21 straight games.
The Mountain Hawks and Black Knights will wrap-up their series with a doubleheader Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Army Sports Complex. Streaming audio of both games will be broadcast online at Lehighsports.com.
