Saturday, March 1
San Diego, Calif. (USD)
4:30 PM
Lehigh University
vs
Utah State
Lehigh softball heads to California for 11-game spring break trip
2/28/2014 11:12:00 AM | Softball
San Diego Classic IÂ (Live Stats and box scores) | Follow Lehigh Softball on Twitter
UPDATE (Friday, 3 p.m. ET) - Inclement weather in the San Diego area has forced the postponement of Friday's games at the San Diego Classic I as well as changes to the game schedule for Saturday. Weather permitting, the Mountain Hawks will now play one game Saturday, against Utah State at 1:30 p.m. PT (4:30 ET). The scheduled game against Illinois-Chicago will not be played, but there is the possibility for Lehigh to play an additional game or games on Monday. Further information will be posted on twitter @Lehighsoftball and on Lehighsports.com as it becomes available.
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Following a tough start to the season at last weekend's Citrus Classic in Florida, the Lehigh softball team will look for a fresh start as the Mountain Hawks head to California for 11 games in eight days over spring break. The Mountain Hawks will head to California for the first time since 1998, taking part of a pair of tournaments beginning with the San Diego Classic, which will be co-hosted by San Diego and San Diego State.
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Lehigh will begin spring break with four games in two days in San Diego as Lehigh will face Utah State and Illinois-Chicago Saturday at San Diego's campus before meeting Utah and Colorado State Sunday at San Diego State.
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The Mountain Hawks opened up 2014 with four losses at the Citrus Classic as they dropped games to Delaware, North Carolina State, nationally-ranked South Alabama and Mercer. Lehigh was competitive in every game but could not dig out of early deficits in all four contests. Lehigh scored 15 runs in four games, including nine against then-No. 19 South Alabama but allowed 27 over the four contests.
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Lehigh hit .252 in Florida, with sophomore Carissa Zito leading the way going 3-for-6 with a double and two runs batted in. Sophomores Morgan Decker and Alexis Watanabe led the Mountain Hawks with four hits apiece, while freshman Vicky Lattanzio had a pair of hits and a team-best three RBI.
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Three pitchers saw action in Florida with senior Ashley Quigley and junior Emily Bausher each firing 11 innings while freshman Christine Campbell threw four innings. Lehigh hurlers yielded 21 earned runs in 26 innings, with 16 strikeouts compared to eight walks. Bausher led the Mountain Hawks with eight strikeouts in two starts.
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Utah State opened its season in the Red Desert Classic in Utah going 4-2 with wins over Southern Utah, East Carolina, UT-Arlington and Nebraska-Omaha. Picked to finish ninth in the Mountain West preseason poll, the Aggies are led by a strong pitching staff that features the likes of sophomore Noelle Johnson, who broke the school record for strikeouts in a game, striking out 16 batters in a win against Nebraska-Omaha. Johnson is 3-1 on the season and has allowed only 10 earned runs in 29.1 innings pitched.Â
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Saturday's second opponent, Illinois-Chicago, enters the San Diego Classic at 2-11. The Flames are playing in their fourth tournament this season. Their two victories came against Eastern Illinois in their season-opener and Savannah State last weekend in Jacksonville, Florida. The Flames are led by second basemen Jacki Fletcher who's gotten off to a hot start batting .514 thru 13 games.Â
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On Sunday, Lehigh heads across town to San Diego State for a meeting with Pac-12 opponent Utah.  The Utes come off an off weekend with a 6-4 overall record. Utah returns six starters from a team that went 24-30-1 in 2013, including junior captain Kate Dickman. A two-time Pac-12 All-Conference selection, Dickman has gotten off to a fantastic start to the 2014 campaign batting .595 while hitting two homers and driving in nine runs.
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Following the Utah game, the Mountain Hawks will close out the San Diego Classic in a game against Mountain West opponent Colorado State. Coming off a 25-24 campaign in 2013, the Rams have gotten off to an impressive start this season with a 7-3 record. Junior infielder Danielle Wikre leads the team with three home runs and ten RBIs. The Rams have averaged just over seven runs per game in wins this season.
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The Mountain Hawks have never faced any of the four teams they will face in the San Diego Classic. The games against Utah State and Colorado State will mark Lehigh's first against current members of the Mountain West Conference. Lehigh is 0-3 versus the Pac 12 in softball, with NCAA tournament losses to Arizona, Stanford and Oregon State. The Mountain Hawks have a more extensive history against Horizon League teams, as they own a 7-9 record with five wins against Detroit-Mercy and two against Valparaiso.
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Following the San Diego Classic, Lehigh will remain in town to face San Diego in a single game on Tuesday. The Toreros are 3-7 heading into their home-opening tournament beginning Thursday. San Diego plays in the West Coast Conference, which is in its first season sponsoring softball. The Toreros were picked fourth in the preseason poll. Lehigh and San Diego met in Lehigh's last trip to California, as the teams split a doubleheader in San Diego on March 17, 1998. The Toreros took the opener 7-0 while the Mountain Hawks took the nightcap 8-3.
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On Wednesday, Lehigh will make the trek to Long Beach State for a single game against the 49ers. Long Beach State is off to a 9-6 start this season and will host a tournament prior to Lehigh's arrival. Last weekend, the 49ers went 2-3 at the Mary Nutter Classic in Palm Springs, Calif., with wins over Maryland and Syracuse. Ashley Holmes has led Long Beach State at the plate with a .452 average, six home runs and 20 RBI in 14 games. The 49er pitchers have had some troubles, with a 5.82 staff ERA. Lehigh and Long Beach State have never met in softball.
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Lehigh will wrap up its spring break tip to California with five games in three days in Los Angeles at the LMU Invitational. The Mountain Hawks will play three games against Saint Mary's (March 7, 8, 9) plus one against tournament host Loyola Marymount (March 7) and Ivy League member Brown (March 8).
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Saint Mary's brings a 5-10 record into the Gael classic, which it will host this weekend. The Gaels went 1-4 at the Bank of Hawaii Invitational last weekend with the win coming against the Rainbow Wahine. Saint Mary's was picked fifth in the WCC preseason poll. Cassidy Szeredy leads the Gael offense with a .333 average and six RBI. Sarah Lira is the top pitcher with a 4-3 record and 2.18 ERA.
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Brown will open its season at the UNC Wilmington Tournament this weekend before heading to the west coast next weekend. The Bears are looking to improve off a 10-28 season in 2013. Trista Chavez is the top returning hitter (.330, 8 HR, 32 RBI), while pitcher Jessica Cherness owned half of Brown's wins last season.
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Tournament host Loyola Marymount was picked third in the WCC preseason poll. The Lions own a 4-6 record heading into action this weekend at the USF Under Armour Invitational in Florida. LMU is led by ace pitcher Sydney Gouveia, who is 4-1 with a 0.78 ERA in 27 innings of work. Meghan Harman leads the offense with a .385 average, two home runs and five RBI.
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Lehigh has never faced Saint Mary's or Brown but faced Loyola Marymount in its last trip to California as the Mountain Hawks were swept in four games back in 1998.
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Action at the San Diego Classic begins Saturday at 12 p.m. (ET) when Lehigh meets Utah State. The Mountain Hawks will then face Illinois-Chicago at 7:30 p.m. (ET). Saturday's action includes Lehigh versus Utah 2:30 p.m. (ET) followed by Lehigh versus Colorado St. at 5 p.m. (ET).
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San Diego Classic Preview by Robert Halliman '14
UPDATE (Friday, 3 p.m. ET) - Inclement weather in the San Diego area has forced the postponement of Friday's games at the San Diego Classic I as well as changes to the game schedule for Saturday. Weather permitting, the Mountain Hawks will now play one game Saturday, against Utah State at 1:30 p.m. PT (4:30 ET). The scheduled game against Illinois-Chicago will not be played, but there is the possibility for Lehigh to play an additional game or games on Monday. Further information will be posted on twitter @Lehighsoftball and on Lehighsports.com as it becomes available.
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Following a tough start to the season at last weekend's Citrus Classic in Florida, the Lehigh softball team will look for a fresh start as the Mountain Hawks head to California for 11 games in eight days over spring break. The Mountain Hawks will head to California for the first time since 1998, taking part of a pair of tournaments beginning with the San Diego Classic, which will be co-hosted by San Diego and San Diego State.
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Lehigh will begin spring break with four games in two days in San Diego as Lehigh will face Utah State and Illinois-Chicago Saturday at San Diego's campus before meeting Utah and Colorado State Sunday at San Diego State.
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The Mountain Hawks opened up 2014 with four losses at the Citrus Classic as they dropped games to Delaware, North Carolina State, nationally-ranked South Alabama and Mercer. Lehigh was competitive in every game but could not dig out of early deficits in all four contests. Lehigh scored 15 runs in four games, including nine against then-No. 19 South Alabama but allowed 27 over the four contests.
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Lehigh hit .252 in Florida, with sophomore Carissa Zito leading the way going 3-for-6 with a double and two runs batted in. Sophomores Morgan Decker and Alexis Watanabe led the Mountain Hawks with four hits apiece, while freshman Vicky Lattanzio had a pair of hits and a team-best three RBI.
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Three pitchers saw action in Florida with senior Ashley Quigley and junior Emily Bausher each firing 11 innings while freshman Christine Campbell threw four innings. Lehigh hurlers yielded 21 earned runs in 26 innings, with 16 strikeouts compared to eight walks. Bausher led the Mountain Hawks with eight strikeouts in two starts.
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Utah State opened its season in the Red Desert Classic in Utah going 4-2 with wins over Southern Utah, East Carolina, UT-Arlington and Nebraska-Omaha. Picked to finish ninth in the Mountain West preseason poll, the Aggies are led by a strong pitching staff that features the likes of sophomore Noelle Johnson, who broke the school record for strikeouts in a game, striking out 16 batters in a win against Nebraska-Omaha. Johnson is 3-1 on the season and has allowed only 10 earned runs in 29.1 innings pitched.Â
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Saturday's second opponent, Illinois-Chicago, enters the San Diego Classic at 2-11. The Flames are playing in their fourth tournament this season. Their two victories came against Eastern Illinois in their season-opener and Savannah State last weekend in Jacksonville, Florida. The Flames are led by second basemen Jacki Fletcher who's gotten off to a hot start batting .514 thru 13 games.Â
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On Sunday, Lehigh heads across town to San Diego State for a meeting with Pac-12 opponent Utah.  The Utes come off an off weekend with a 6-4 overall record. Utah returns six starters from a team that went 24-30-1 in 2013, including junior captain Kate Dickman. A two-time Pac-12 All-Conference selection, Dickman has gotten off to a fantastic start to the 2014 campaign batting .595 while hitting two homers and driving in nine runs.
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Following the Utah game, the Mountain Hawks will close out the San Diego Classic in a game against Mountain West opponent Colorado State. Coming off a 25-24 campaign in 2013, the Rams have gotten off to an impressive start this season with a 7-3 record. Junior infielder Danielle Wikre leads the team with three home runs and ten RBIs. The Rams have averaged just over seven runs per game in wins this season.
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The Mountain Hawks have never faced any of the four teams they will face in the San Diego Classic. The games against Utah State and Colorado State will mark Lehigh's first against current members of the Mountain West Conference. Lehigh is 0-3 versus the Pac 12 in softball, with NCAA tournament losses to Arizona, Stanford and Oregon State. The Mountain Hawks have a more extensive history against Horizon League teams, as they own a 7-9 record with five wins against Detroit-Mercy and two against Valparaiso.
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Following the San Diego Classic, Lehigh will remain in town to face San Diego in a single game on Tuesday. The Toreros are 3-7 heading into their home-opening tournament beginning Thursday. San Diego plays in the West Coast Conference, which is in its first season sponsoring softball. The Toreros were picked fourth in the preseason poll. Lehigh and San Diego met in Lehigh's last trip to California, as the teams split a doubleheader in San Diego on March 17, 1998. The Toreros took the opener 7-0 while the Mountain Hawks took the nightcap 8-3.
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On Wednesday, Lehigh will make the trek to Long Beach State for a single game against the 49ers. Long Beach State is off to a 9-6 start this season and will host a tournament prior to Lehigh's arrival. Last weekend, the 49ers went 2-3 at the Mary Nutter Classic in Palm Springs, Calif., with wins over Maryland and Syracuse. Ashley Holmes has led Long Beach State at the plate with a .452 average, six home runs and 20 RBI in 14 games. The 49er pitchers have had some troubles, with a 5.82 staff ERA. Lehigh and Long Beach State have never met in softball.
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Lehigh will wrap up its spring break tip to California with five games in three days in Los Angeles at the LMU Invitational. The Mountain Hawks will play three games against Saint Mary's (March 7, 8, 9) plus one against tournament host Loyola Marymount (March 7) and Ivy League member Brown (March 8).
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Saint Mary's brings a 5-10 record into the Gael classic, which it will host this weekend. The Gaels went 1-4 at the Bank of Hawaii Invitational last weekend with the win coming against the Rainbow Wahine. Saint Mary's was picked fifth in the WCC preseason poll. Cassidy Szeredy leads the Gael offense with a .333 average and six RBI. Sarah Lira is the top pitcher with a 4-3 record and 2.18 ERA.
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Brown will open its season at the UNC Wilmington Tournament this weekend before heading to the west coast next weekend. The Bears are looking to improve off a 10-28 season in 2013. Trista Chavez is the top returning hitter (.330, 8 HR, 32 RBI), while pitcher Jessica Cherness owned half of Brown's wins last season.
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Tournament host Loyola Marymount was picked third in the WCC preseason poll. The Lions own a 4-6 record heading into action this weekend at the USF Under Armour Invitational in Florida. LMU is led by ace pitcher Sydney Gouveia, who is 4-1 with a 0.78 ERA in 27 innings of work. Meghan Harman leads the offense with a .385 average, two home runs and five RBI.
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Lehigh has never faced Saint Mary's or Brown but faced Loyola Marymount in its last trip to California as the Mountain Hawks were swept in four games back in 1998.
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Action at the San Diego Classic begins Saturday at 12 p.m. (ET) when Lehigh meets Utah State. The Mountain Hawks will then face Illinois-Chicago at 7:30 p.m. (ET). Saturday's action includes Lehigh versus Utah 2:30 p.m. (ET) followed by Lehigh versus Colorado St. at 5 p.m. (ET).
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San Diego Classic Preview by Robert Halliman '14
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