Wednesday, April 18
Kaufman Field
3:30:00 PM
Lehigh University
3
vs
1
Princeton
Mountain Hawks ride strong pitching to DH sweep over Princeton
4/19/2012 1:17:00 AM | Softball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Junior Becca Bliss threw a complete game two-hitter and freshman Emily Bausher and sophomore Kelsey Lee added strong pitching performances as Lehigh swept a doubleheader from Princeton Wednesday at Kaufman Field. The Mountain Hawks took the opener 3-1 and won the nightcap 2-0 behind Bliss' superb effort to improve to 30-16 on the season.
With the sweep Lehigh has reached the 30-win mark for the 12th straight season.
“Any time you give up just one run in two games you have a good chance to win,” said Lehigh head coach Fran Troyan. “mily pitched very well in the first game and I think Becca threw just 53 pitches in the second game, which is almost unheard of. They're a great 1-2 punch. We added some timely hitting and just played very well overall today.”
Game one saw the two teams combine for just four runs, all of which were unearned. Princeton scored its only run of the day on a sacrifice fly by Cara Worden in the top of the third inning, while Lehigh answered with three unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth.
Lehigh managed just four hits in the opener, with senior Audra Wood recording two of the four. Wood led off the fourth with a single to center and moved to third on a single by senior Jen Colquhoun and an error by Candy Button. Senior Julie Fernandez then hit a ground ball to second that scooted through the legs of Tory Roberts, allowing Wood to score the tying run. Freshman Cassie Waggy then hit a ground ball to shortstop, but Colquhoun beat Nikki Chu's throw home to give the Mountain Hawks a 2-1 lead. Freshman Emma Capetz then lined a single to right field, scoring pinch-runner Lizzy Odren to cap the three-run frame.Bausher went the first five innings in the circle to record her 14th win of the season (14-9). She did not record a 1-2-3 inning but allowed just one unearned run on five hits, with five strikeouts and intentional walk. Lee retired six of the seven batters she faced to earn the save.
Bliss was the story for Lehigh in game two, as she picked up her 13th win and sixth shutout of the season. She allowed just a two-out first inning double from Kelsey VandeBergh and a sixth inning leadoff bunt single by Rachel Rendina while striking out one and walking none as she improves to 13-6.
“She did a great job of spotting her pitches,” Troyan said of Bliss. “They (Princeton) were trying to be aggressive so they felt like they had to swing early or get behind in the count. They put the ball in play but we played great defense. I thought Jen (Colquhoun) played well at shortstop and Emma (Capetz) played well at second. It was just an all-around well-played game.”
Both of Lehigh's runs came on RBI doubles. In the second inning junior Liz Lucas drew a leadoff walk and pinch runner Kristin Taft moved to second after sacrifice by Waggy. Capetz then picked up her second RBI of the day with a ground rule double over the fence in left to give the Mountain Hawks a 1-0 lead. Colquhoun and Fernandez each had two of Lehigh's six hits and teamed to extend Lehigh's lead in the fifth with back-to-back two out doubles as Fernandez brought home Colquhoun with a double to the fence in left center.
Princeton falls to 12-25 with the two losses.
The Mountain Hawks will resume Patriot League play when they return to action this weekend with four games against the Colgate Raiders in a rematch of the championship round of last year's Patriot League Tournament. The Mountain Hawks and Raiders will play doubleheaders Saturday and Sunday with first pitch both days set for noon. Lehigh will recognize its four seniors prior to Saturday's twinbill.
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