Sunday, April 7
Kaufman Field
12:00:00 PM
Lehigh University
9
vs
1
Lafayette
Strong pitching powers Lehigh to Sunday sweep of Lafayette
4/7/2013 9:59:00 PM | Softball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh pitchers combined to allow just one run on three hits as the Mountain Hawks swept a doubleheader from Lafayette Sunday at Kaufman Field. Senior Becca Bliss allowed a run on two hits as the Mountain Hawks took game one 9-1 in five innings, and sophomore Emily Bausher followed with a complete-game one-hit shutout as Lehigh took the nightcap 5-0.
With the sweep Lehigh improves to 18-13-1 overall and 6-2 in the Patriot League. The Mountain Hawks hold a one-game lead over Holy Cross and Colgate after two weekends of league play. Lafayette falls to 8-21, 2-6 in league games.
“Today was about adjustments,” Lehigh head coach Fran Troyan said. “Our pitchers adjusted to their hitters and our hitters did a much better job against (Melissa) Robinson in that second game.”
The visiting Leopards struck first in game one with a run on two hits off of Bliss. Brittany Paul reached on a one-out bloop single that freshman MacKenzie Velasquez could not squeeze on a diving attempt. Jordan Parsons then doubled to right center scoring Paul with Lafayette's only run of the game.
Senior Rosie Roessel went 4-for-5 in the doubleheader with four stolen bases. Troyan moved Roessel into the leadoff spot and the senior centerfielder jumpstarted Lehigh in the bottom of the first. Roessel led off with a single up the middle and stole second. Two batters later freshman Morgan Decker singled through the right side, scoring Roessel with the tying run.Lehigh took the lead with three runs in the third inning, with Roessel again starting things off with a leadoff single. Roessel moved to second on a ground out and then scored on a double down the right field line by freshman Morgan Decker. After a single by senior Liz Lucas, sophomore Cassie Waggy and drove home Decker with a double to left center and then junior Kristin Taft singled to right, scoring pinch runner Lizzy Odren to put the Mountain Hawks up 4-1.
The Mountain Hawks tacked on an unearned run in the fourth inning when Roessel scored from third when Lucas' fly ball to center was dropped by Kelly Lallis. Lehigh put the game away with four runs in the fifth, as sophomore Emma Capetz delivered a two-run single. Three batters later, senior Jacqi Kennelly drove in Lehigh's eighth run on a fielder's choice, while senior Kristen Mitchell scored the game-ending run from third base on a wild pitch.
Lehigh tallied ten hits in the opener, with Roessel, Decker and Capetz posting two apiece. Bliss retired the final 14 batters she faced after the Parsons double to earn her tenth win of the season (10-6). She struck out five and did not walk a batter. Bryn Gornick took the loss for Lafayette allowing seven runs (six earned) in four-plus innings.
“Traditionally she's gotten better and better as the spring goes on and we hope that continues in her senior year,” Troyan said of Bliss. “It's a shame Emily gave up a hit there in the seventh inning. She pitched a tremendous game and was in real good command of all of her pitches today.”
In game two, Bausher carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning but had to settle for a one-hitter and her third shutout of the season after Parsons led off the final frame with a single to left field. Bausher improved to 7-5 on the season with a 12-strikeout, two-walk effort. Lafayette's biggest threat came in the second inning when he Leopards put runners on the corners with nobody out after a walk, a sacrifice and an error. Bausher battled back with a pair of strikeouts and pinch runner Ali Gebhardt was thrown out at the plate on a botched double steal attempt.
Roessel and freshman Alexis Watanabe continued to spark Lehigh's offense at the top of the lineup. The duo led off the bottom of the first with back-to-back singles and both Mountain Hawks came around to score on a single up the middle by Lucas as Lehigh led 2-0 after one.
Lehigh's table setters combined again in the third, as Roessel led off with a single, stole second and scored on a Watanabe single up the middle to put Lehigh up 3-0. The Mountain Hawks added two more runs in the fifth on a RBI single by Decker and an error by Kristen Berger on a ball hit by Waggy. Lehigh finished with eight hits in the nightcap, with Roessel, Watanabe and Lucas accounting for six of the eight.
“When those little guys get on, good things happen,” Troyan said of Roessel and Watanabe. “We need those guys to get on so our big hitters can knock them in.”
Melissa Robinson took the loss for Lafayette, allowing four earned runs in six innings as she falls to 6-12 on the season.
The Mountain Hawks will return to action on Wednesday with a midweek doubleheader at Fordham with first pitch for game one set for 3 p.m. from the Bronx, N.Y. Lehigh will host Army in a key Patriot League series, next Saturday and Sunday at Kaufman Field.
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