Mountain Hawks sweep Saturday doubleheader at Army

Saturday, May 3

West Point, N.Y.

1:00 PM

Lehigh University

28-18, 13-3

Army

22-24, 9-7

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Lehigh	1	0	1	1	0	0	2	5	11	0
Army	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	3	8	0

Mountain Hawks sweep Saturday doubleheader at Army

5/3/2014 6:24:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

WEST POINT, N.Y. – The race for the Patriot League regular season title will come down to the final day of the regular season, but the Lehigh softball team did its part by sweeping a doubleheader from Army Saturday at the Army Softball Complex. The Mountain Hawks rallied for a 5-3 win in game one and then used a five-run first inning to win the nightcap 8-0 in five innings.

With the sweep, Lehigh improves to 29-18 on the season and 14-3 in league games. Boston University swept its doubleheader against Bucknell, meaning the Mountain Hawks lead the Terriers by one game with one game remaining in the regular season. A Lehigh win or a Boston University loss gives the Mountain Hawks their third straight regular season crown.

Freshman Vicky Lattanzio had two hits on the day and drove in four runs in the doubleheader. Her seventh inning RBI single gave the Mountain Hawks a 4-3 lead in game one. In the nightcap, Lattanzio drew a bases loaded walk to force in Lehigh's first run and later added a two-run double to extend the Mountain Hawks' lead.

"The first game was very tight and Army certainly came to play," Lehigh head coach Fran Troyan said. "Fortunately they answered everything we brought and we came back and scored some runs late. Vickky came up with a big hit and we were pleased to get that game. In the second game we were happy that Christine Campbell pitched well and kept them at bay and we came up with some big hits in that second game."

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In game one junior Emily Bausher helped her own cause with a two-out RBI double to right center in the top of the first that scored sophomore Alexis Watanabe.

Army answered back with two runs against Bausher on a RBI single through the left side by April Ortenzo and a double to right center by Marah House.

Sophomore Morgan Decker pulled Lehigh even in the top of the third as she belted a two-out home run to right field, her ninth of the season, to tie the game at 2-2.

The Black Knights went back in front in the bottom of the frame as seniors Amanda Nguyen and Ortenzo teamed up to give Army a 3-2 advantage. Nguyen drilled a one-out triple to center and after Watanabe threw her out at the plate on a fielder's choice, Ortenzo doubled to center scoring Alee Rashenskas with the go-ahead run.

Junior Emma Capetz had a strong doubleheader with four hits in six at bats. In the fourth inning of game one Capetz laced a two-out single to left, scoring sophomore Jess Calvini, who reached on a one-out double, with the tying run.

The game remained tied into the seventh when sophomore MacKenzie Velasquez led off with a single. Watanabe sacrificed her into scoring position and after a walk to Decker, Lattanzio singled through the right side to give the Mountain Hawks the lead. Bausher followed with a sacrifice fly to extend Lehigh's lead to 5-3.

Army threatened with a pair of one out singles in the bottom of the seventh, but Bausher settled down, striking out pinch hitter Ali Cleinmark looking and then getting Nguyen to fly out to Calvini in left to end the game.

Bausher went the distance in the circle to improve to 12-6 on the season. She allowed three runs on eight hits with three strikeouts and no walks.

Kristen West took the loss for Army allowing five runs on 11 hits. She falls to 5-6.

In game two, the Black Knights went with seldom-used Rachael Dehlinger who suffered through control problems. Dehlinger walked the first two batters and then gave up a single to Decker before walking Lattanzio to force in a run. Bausher followed with a single up the middle, scoring Watanabe to make the score 2-0. After a wild pitch, a sacrifice fly by junior Cassie Waggy and a RBI single by Capetz Lehigh led 5-0 after half an inning.

Lehigh extended its lead in the fourth on a two-run double to right center by Lattanzio and a RBI single by Calvini.

Leading by eight after three and a half innings, freshman Christine Campbell worked around a one out double in the fourth and a one out single in the fifth to end the game via the eight run rule. Campbell picked up her fifth shutout of the season as she improved to 10-7 on the year. She allowed four hits and did not record any strikeouts or walks.

Dehlinger was charged with all eight runs (five earned) on ten hits in three-plus innings. She falls to 0-2 on the season. Army is now 22-25 and 9-8 in the league. The Black Knights are tied with Bucknell for third place in the league standings.

Decker was 5-for-5 on the day and reached base in all eight plate appearances.

The Mountain Hawks and Black Knights will wrap-up their series and the regular season with a single game Sunday. Due to the threat of rain, first pitch has been moved up to 11:30 a.m. Audio coverage will still be available at Lehighsports.com.