Mountain Hawks drop 4-1 decision at Long Beach State

Wednesday, March 5

Long Beach, Calif.

5:00 PM

Lehigh University

2-7

Long Beach State

12-6

Lehigh

Long Beach State

Mountain Hawks drop 4-1 decision at Long Beach State

3/5/2014 8:02:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

LONG BEACH, Calif. – At the midway point of its spring break trip to California, Lehigh fell to Long Beach State 4-1 Wednesday at the 49er Softball Complex. The 49ers broke open a 2-1 game with two unearned runs in the fourth inning to improve to 12-6 on the season.

Lehigh mustered just four hits but drew five walks on the afternoon. The Mountain Hawks left nine runners on base and were just 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position. Freshman Vicky Lattanzio had two hits for the Mountain Hawks, who fall to 2-7 with the loss.

A leadoff walk of Shayna Kimbrough by freshman starter Christine Campbell came back to hurt the Mountain Hawks as Kimbrough stole second and eventually came around to score on a two-out single by Kayla Sandoval.

Lehigh had two runners on base with two outs in both the first and fourth innings but both times the 49ers and starter Erin Jones-Wesley worked out of jams.

The 49ers added to their lead in the fourth as Sandoval was hit by a pitch and pinch runner Loni Tyler scored on a RBI double by Darian Tautalafua.

The Mountain Hawks got on the board in the top of the fifth. Junior Emily Bausher drew a leadoff walk while pinch hitting and advanced to third on two wild pitches. After an infield single by sophomore MacKenzie Velasquez, classmate Alexis Watanabe delivered a sacrifice fly to left field scoring Bausher to bring Lehigh within a run. Velasquez eventually stole second to put the tying run in scoring position. After a walk to Lattanzio, Jones-Wesley got junior Cassie Waggy to line out to shortstop to end the threat.

Long Beach State added to its lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth. Leilani Tupua-Tautalatasi led off with a single and then came around to score on a throwing error after an infield single by Kimbrough. Cya Neal's RBI single gave the 49ers a 4-1 advantage. Amanda Hansen then came on to pitch two scoreless innings to earn the save.

Jones-Wesley (6-3) earned the win allowing a run on four hits while walking three and striking out six. Campbell was saddled with the loss, allowing four runs on seven hits as she falls to 1-2. She struck out four and walked two, while also hitting two batters.

The Mountain Hawks will close out their spring break trip to California with five games in three days at the LMU Invitational in Los Angeles. On Thursday, Lehigh will face Saint Mary's at 10 a.m. (PT) and tournament host Loyola Marymount at 12 p.m.