Mountain Hawks open season with two one-run losses in Florida

Friday, February 21

Orlando, Fla.

5:45:00 PM

Lehigh University

0-2

North Carolina State

2-6

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
NC State	0	3	0	1	0	0	0	4	10	0
Lehigh	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	3	3	1

Mountain Hawks open season with two one-run losses in Florida

2/21/2014 10:56:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh softball team fell victim to a pair of tough one-run defeats Friday in its first two games of the season at the Citrus Classic at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The Mountain Hawks couldn't escape an early 2-0 hole in their first game of the day against Delaware, falling by a 2-1 score. In game two, fell behind North Carolina State 4-0 before scoring three runs in the sixth inning in what ultimately was a 4-3 setback.

Senior Ashley Quigley overcame a rough first inning against the Blue Hens to pitch well, as she fired four scoreless frames against Delaware and then added two more against NC State in relief.

Quigley gave up a leadoff double to Delaware's Jessica Grisler and then followed by issuing a wild pitch and two walks. A sacrifice fly to right field by Heather Oakley plated Grisler to put Delaware up 1-0. A second wild pitch by Quigley plated a second run before the senior ended the inning with a strikeout of Tori Conrad.

Lehigh scored its run in the bottom of the third inning. Freshman Ashley Cole drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on the second single of the game by sophomore MacKenzie Velasquez. After a fielder's choice, sophomore Morgan Decker surprised the Blue Hens with a bunt single and a throwing error by Blue Hen third baseman Lisa Stacevicz allowed Cole to score to bring Lehigh within a run.

Quigley and freshman Christine Campbell kept the Blue Hens in check, allowing just three hits over the final six innings. Lehigh threatened in the sixth but Delaware pitcher Carolyn Szymanski struck out freshman pinch hitter Vicky Lattanzio to end the threat.

The Mountain Hawks put together another rally in the seventh, on walks to Cole and Decker and a single by sophomore Alexis Watanabe, but with the bases loaded and two outs Szymanski struck out sophomore Emily Bausher to end the game.

Szymanski allowed an unearned run on five hits to earn Delaware's second win of the season as the Blue Hens improved to 2-5. She walked five and struck out six on the afternoon. Quigley took the loss allowing two runs on three hits in five innings. She struck out two and walked two. Campbell added two scoreless, one-hit innings of relief.

Lehigh left nine runners on base in the game including two in the first, third and sixth innings and three in the seventh.

In Friday's second game, Lehigh found itself down 3-0 to NC State after two innings. The Wolfpack scored three runs in the second inning off of Bausher on a single up the middle by Hannah Yeager and a two-run double to left by Nadia Kemp. Yeager produced the Wolfpack's fourth run in the fourth inning when she stole second and third base and then came home on a Lehigh throwing error.

After recording eight hits against Delaware, Lehigh mustered just three against NC State ace Emily Weiman. The Mountain Hawks did put together a rally in the sixth as senior Lizzy Odren drew a one out walk and then moved to second when Watanabe reached on a fielder's choice. Two batters later Bausher singled home Odren and took second on the throw and then Lattanzio followed with a two-run single to bring the Mountain Hawks within one. Weiman got sophomore Jessica Calvini to ground out to end the threat and then retired Lehigh in order in the second.

Weiman recorded 11 strikeouts for NC State, which moved to 2-5 on the season. The Wolfpack were an NCAA Tournament team a year ago.

Bausher allowed four runs on eight hits in five innings for Lehigh. She walked one and struck out two. Quigley struck out four and walked one in two scoreless innings of relief.

Lehigh will play three more games at the Citrus Classic including two on Saturday. The Mountain Hawks will face No. 19 South Alabama at 11 a.m. and Lamar at 1:15.