Four run seventh hurts Lehigh in 9-5 loss to Fordham

Wednesday, April 9

3:30 PM

Lehigh University

18-14

Fordham

20-16

Fordham

Lehigh

Four run seventh hurts Lehigh in 9-5 loss to Fordham

4/9/2014 7:06:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – In a back-and-forth affair, Fordham scored four times in the top of the seventh to break a 5-5 tie as the Rams handed the Lehigh softball team its second straight loss 9-5 in a single non-league contest Wednesday at Kaufman Field. Kayla Lombardo's three-run home run to centerfield put the visiting Rams in front as Fordham capitalized on three seventh-inning Lehigh errors to plate four runs.

Sophomore Jessica Calvini continued her recent hot hitting going 2-for-4 with three RBIs to lead the Mountain Hawks, who fall to 18-14 on the season. Fordham improves to 20-16.

Fordham struck first in the top of the first inning as Sydney Canessa led off with a double to left center off junior Emily Bausher. Lombardo brought her home with a sharp single through the left side to give the Rams the 1-0 lead.

Lehigh answered back with two runs in the bottom of the frame as Calvini followed a walk to Alexis Watanabe and a single by Morgan Decker with a two-run triple to left center. The Mountain Hawks added another run in the second as Bausher helped herself with a leadoff double to center and junior Emma Capetz followed with a triple to left.

Senior Ashley Quigley came on in relief of Bausher to start the fifth and surrendered four runs on four hits with an error mixed in. The big blow was a two-run double to left center by Elise Fortier that gave Fordham a 4-3 lead. A RBI single by Gabby Luety capped the frame and put the Rams up by two.

The Mountain Hawks battled back to tie the game with two runs in the fifth. Watanabe led off with a double down the left field line. Two batters later freshman Vicky Lattanzio singled off the glove of Lombardo at third, allowing Watanabe to score to bring Lehigh within a run. After a passed ball moved pinch runner Kristin Taft to third, Calvini's second hit of the game, a single up the middle, brought home the tying run.

Lehigh threatened to take the lead in the sixth after a one out walk to sophomore MacKenzie Velasquez and an infield single by Watanabe, but Patti Maloney got Decker to ground into a 5-3 double play to end the threat.

Canessa led off the seventh with a single to left and moved to second when Amy Van Hoven reached on an error while attempting to sacrifice. After a fly out moved Canessa to third, Lombardo clubbed a three-run home run to center to put the Rams up 8-5. Fordham added an insurance run on a dropped fly ball followed by a single and Lehigh's fourth error of the game.

Maloney kept the Mountain Hawks off the scoreboard in the seventh, working around a two-out walk. She posted her first victory of the season with two scoreless innings of relief as she allowed one hit and walked two. Rachel Gillen started for Fordham and allowed three runs on four hits in three innings, while Lauren Quense gave up two runs on four hits in two innings.

Bausher allowed a run on three hits in four innings. She struck out four and walked one in a no-decision. Quigley was saddled with the loss although only four of the eight runs she allowed in 2.1 innings were earned. She falls to 6-4.

The Mountain Hawks will look to rebound when they return to Patriot League play with three games at Bucknell this weekend. The teams will play a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m. followed by a single game Sunday at noon.