Friday, February 26
Greensboro, N.C.
11:00:00 AM
Lehigh University
vs
Youngstown State
Mountain Hawks set to open 2016 at UNCG Invitational beginning Friday
2/25/2016 12:13:00 PM | Softball
Live Stats for UNCG Invitational
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh softball team will make its season debut in Greensboro, N.C. beginning Friday for the three-day UNCG Invitational. The reigning Patriot League champions will begin the tournament Friday at 11 a.m. against Youngstown State and will also face Iona at 1:30 p.m. The Mountain Hawks will face off against the Penguins again Saturday at noon before taking on host UNC-Greensboro Saturday at 5 p.m. and then again Sunday at 12:30 p.m.
The Mountain Hawks return seven position starters from last season and had four players named to the preseason All-Patriot League team. Senior infielders Alexis Watanabe and Morgan Decker join sophomore outfielder Nicole Yozzo as preseason all-league selections along with junior pitcher Christine Campbell, who was named the league's preseason Pitcher of the Year.
Other returning starters include senior Jessica Calvini, who moves from the outfield to first base, senior outfielder MacKenzie Velasquez and catchers Carissa Zito and Carolyn Wright.
Lehigh went 40-9 last season, which included a 15-3 run in its first 18 games leading into Patriot League play.
After going 18-31 in 2015, the Youngstown State Penguins are 2-1 this season after competing at the Charlotte First Pitch Classic February 13-14. The Penguins took down Toledo 4-3 and Massachusetts 9-8 before falling to Charlotte 7-1 in North Carolina. Youngstown State posted a .272 team batting average through its first three contests. Sarah Dowd has two home runs and six RBI in three games. The Penguins claimed the only other meeting with Lehigh by an 8-5 score in 2003.
The Mountain Hawks will be Iona's first opponent of 2016, as the Gaels posted a record 16-28 last season. The Gaels are returning preseason all-MAAC juniors Kristen Turner and Christine Costello. Turner was a first-team all-league selection last season as an infielder, batting .360 for Iona. Costello, who doubled as a pitcher and infielder in 2015, tallied a 2.71 ERA as a sophomore. The Mountain Hawks lead the all-time series against Iona 10-1, with the teams splitting games in 2013.
Well into their 2016 campaign, the UNC-Greensboro Spartans are 4-5 on the year after competing in the Jacksonville University Invitational and the University of South Carolina Tournament in the season's first two weekends. The Spartans went 4-1 in Jacksonville with wins over Coastal Carolina, Kansas and NC State, but dropped four games in their subsequent tournament in South Carolina. UNCG was rained out against North Carolina on Wednesday. Lehigh and UNC-Greensboro have split two previous meetings. The Mountain Hawks claimed the last matchup by a 3-2 score in 2008.
Friday's action begins at 11 a.m. when Lehigh takes on Youngstown State, followed by the Lehigh-Iona tilt at 1:30 p.m.
The Mountain Hawks will return to the Carolinas next weekend for five games at the Winthrop Invitational in Rock Hill, S.C. beginning Friday March 4.
By Michael Reiner '16
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh softball team will make its season debut in Greensboro, N.C. beginning Friday for the three-day UNCG Invitational. The reigning Patriot League champions will begin the tournament Friday at 11 a.m. against Youngstown State and will also face Iona at 1:30 p.m. The Mountain Hawks will face off against the Penguins again Saturday at noon before taking on host UNC-Greensboro Saturday at 5 p.m. and then again Sunday at 12:30 p.m.
The Mountain Hawks return seven position starters from last season and had four players named to the preseason All-Patriot League team. Senior infielders Alexis Watanabe and Morgan Decker join sophomore outfielder Nicole Yozzo as preseason all-league selections along with junior pitcher Christine Campbell, who was named the league's preseason Pitcher of the Year.
Other returning starters include senior Jessica Calvini, who moves from the outfield to first base, senior outfielder MacKenzie Velasquez and catchers Carissa Zito and Carolyn Wright.
Lehigh went 40-9 last season, which included a 15-3 run in its first 18 games leading into Patriot League play.
After going 18-31 in 2015, the Youngstown State Penguins are 2-1 this season after competing at the Charlotte First Pitch Classic February 13-14. The Penguins took down Toledo 4-3 and Massachusetts 9-8 before falling to Charlotte 7-1 in North Carolina. Youngstown State posted a .272 team batting average through its first three contests. Sarah Dowd has two home runs and six RBI in three games. The Penguins claimed the only other meeting with Lehigh by an 8-5 score in 2003.
The Mountain Hawks will be Iona's first opponent of 2016, as the Gaels posted a record 16-28 last season. The Gaels are returning preseason all-MAAC juniors Kristen Turner and Christine Costello. Turner was a first-team all-league selection last season as an infielder, batting .360 for Iona. Costello, who doubled as a pitcher and infielder in 2015, tallied a 2.71 ERA as a sophomore. The Mountain Hawks lead the all-time series against Iona 10-1, with the teams splitting games in 2013.
Well into their 2016 campaign, the UNC-Greensboro Spartans are 4-5 on the year after competing in the Jacksonville University Invitational and the University of South Carolina Tournament in the season's first two weekends. The Spartans went 4-1 in Jacksonville with wins over Coastal Carolina, Kansas and NC State, but dropped four games in their subsequent tournament in South Carolina. UNCG was rained out against North Carolina on Wednesday. Lehigh and UNC-Greensboro have split two previous meetings. The Mountain Hawks claimed the last matchup by a 3-2 score in 2008.
Friday's action begins at 11 a.m. when Lehigh takes on Youngstown State, followed by the Lehigh-Iona tilt at 1:30 p.m.
The Mountain Hawks will return to the Carolinas next weekend for five games at the Winthrop Invitational in Rock Hill, S.C. beginning Friday March 4.
By Michael Reiner '16
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Players Mentioned
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