Saturday, March 16
Phoenix, Ariz.
1:00 PM
Lehigh University
6-12
3
vs
12
Ohio State
15-7
1
2
3
4
5
6
R
H
E
Ohio State
1
1
3
0
0
7
12
11
1
Lehigh
0
0
1
0
2
0
3
6
1
Sixth inning struggles doom Lehigh on final day of GCU Invitational
3/16/2019 7:00:00 PM | Softball
PHOENIX – Throughout most of Lehigh's spring break trip to Arizona, the Mountain Hawks were victimized by big innings. On Saturday, the Mountain Hawks were done in twice by big innings in their final games of the GCU Invitational, and in both cases those big innings were sixth innings. Lehigh pulled within 5-3 of Ohio State only to see the Buckeyes score seven in the sixth to win 12-3. Then, the Mountain Hawks were unable to hold a 5-4 lead over Weber State as the Wildcats used a nine run sixth to top Lehigh 13-5.
Lehigh trailed Ohio State 5-0 after two and a half innings but battled back, scoring a run in the bottom of the third on a sacrifice fly by freshman Jaelynn Chesson and adding two more on freshman Addie Kittel's two-run double in the fifth.
The Buckeyes (15-7) broke the game open with seven runs in the sixth, using a two-run single by Emily Clark, a two-run double by Kallie Boren and capped by a three-run home run by Kaitlyn Coffman, who finished the game 3-for-4 with four RBIs.
Lehigh had six hits against Ohio State and left seven runners on base. The Mountain Hawks had rallies in the first two innings erased by double plays. Junior Mary-Hannah Smith went 2-for-3 to lead Lehigh at the plate.
Senior Emily Sorem and freshman Gabriella Nori combined to allow 11 earned runs and 11 hits.
Things started well for the Mountain Hawks against Weber State as senior Jennifer Stoll drew a bases-loaded walk to give Lehigh a 1-0 lead after half an inning.
Weber State answered with two runs in the first and added a run in the second on a Courtney Pestka solo home run to take a 3-1 lead.
Lehigh battled back, scoring four runs in the top of the third to take a 5-3 lead. Kittel drew a leadoff walk and Chesson followed with a double. Stoll then singled home pinch runner Lainey Stephenson, with a Weber State error allowing Chesson to score the tying run. Two batters later, junior Lexi van Ooyen reached on a bunt single, with Stoll coming home to put the Mountain Hawks in front. Sophomore Payton Alsobrooks capped the inning with a RBI double to left center.
The Wildcats pulled a run back in the bottom of the third, but Lehigh maintained its lead until the bottom of the sixth, when Weber State took the lead and eventually scored nine runs on six hits while capitalizing on three Lehigh errors.
Takesha Saltern's two-run triple gave Weber State the lead and a series of hits, walks and errors allowed the Wildcats to break the game open and claim the eight-run victory.
Pestka finished 4-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored, including the game-ending run. The top three in the Weber State batting order: Saltern, Landi Hawker and Chloe Camarero, each had three hits.
Alsobrooks and Chesson both recorded two of Lehigh's eight hits.
Junior Parker Boyd took the loss in the circle. She was charged with 11 runs (seven earned) on 14 hits in 5.1 innings, with no walks and three strikeouts.
The Mountain Hawks head home from their Arizona trip at 6-13.
Lehigh is slated to play a single game at Delaware Wednesday at 3 p.m. before opening Patriot League play with three games at rival Lafayette March 23-24.
Like Lehigh Softball on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.
Lehigh trailed Ohio State 5-0 after two and a half innings but battled back, scoring a run in the bottom of the third on a sacrifice fly by freshman Jaelynn Chesson and adding two more on freshman Addie Kittel's two-run double in the fifth.
The Buckeyes (15-7) broke the game open with seven runs in the sixth, using a two-run single by Emily Clark, a two-run double by Kallie Boren and capped by a three-run home run by Kaitlyn Coffman, who finished the game 3-for-4 with four RBIs.
Lehigh had six hits against Ohio State and left seven runners on base. The Mountain Hawks had rallies in the first two innings erased by double plays. Junior Mary-Hannah Smith went 2-for-3 to lead Lehigh at the plate.
Senior Emily Sorem and freshman Gabriella Nori combined to allow 11 earned runs and 11 hits.
Things started well for the Mountain Hawks against Weber State as senior Jennifer Stoll drew a bases-loaded walk to give Lehigh a 1-0 lead after half an inning.
Weber State answered with two runs in the first and added a run in the second on a Courtney Pestka solo home run to take a 3-1 lead.
Lehigh battled back, scoring four runs in the top of the third to take a 5-3 lead. Kittel drew a leadoff walk and Chesson followed with a double. Stoll then singled home pinch runner Lainey Stephenson, with a Weber State error allowing Chesson to score the tying run. Two batters later, junior Lexi van Ooyen reached on a bunt single, with Stoll coming home to put the Mountain Hawks in front. Sophomore Payton Alsobrooks capped the inning with a RBI double to left center.
The Wildcats pulled a run back in the bottom of the third, but Lehigh maintained its lead until the bottom of the sixth, when Weber State took the lead and eventually scored nine runs on six hits while capitalizing on three Lehigh errors.
Takesha Saltern's two-run triple gave Weber State the lead and a series of hits, walks and errors allowed the Wildcats to break the game open and claim the eight-run victory.
Pestka finished 4-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored, including the game-ending run. The top three in the Weber State batting order: Saltern, Landi Hawker and Chloe Camarero, each had three hits.
Alsobrooks and Chesson both recorded two of Lehigh's eight hits.
Junior Parker Boyd took the loss in the circle. She was charged with 11 runs (seven earned) on 14 hits in 5.1 innings, with no walks and three strikeouts.
The Mountain Hawks head home from their Arizona trip at 6-13.
Lehigh is slated to play a single game at Delaware Wednesday at 3 p.m. before opening Patriot League play with three games at rival Lafayette March 23-24.
Like Lehigh Softball on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Rice, Lauren (7-1)
L: Sorem, Emily (1-2)
S: Duvall, Kat (1)
Batting:
2B: Piper, Lilli 1 ; Boren, Kallie 1 ; Otte, Meg 1
HR: Coffman, Kaitlyn 1 ; Nicholson, Claire 1
RBI: Piper, Lilli 1 ; Clark, Emily 2 ; Boren, Kallie 2 ; Coffman, Kaitlyn 4 ; Otte, Meg 1 ; Nicholson, Claire 2
SH: Gaskill, Carley 1 ; Prange, Ashley 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Constable, Summer 1 ; Piper, Lilli 2 ; Clark, Emily 1 ; Betschel, Bri 1 ; Sansom, Spencer 1 ; Coffman, Kaitlyn 2 ; Otte, Meg 1 ; Nicholson, Claire 1 ; Farrah, Andi 1 ; Prange, Ashley 1
SB: Constable, Summer 1 ; Piper, Lilli 2
HBP: Carver, Niki 1
Batting:
2B: Kittel, Addie 1
RBI: Chesson, Jaelynn 1 ; Kittel, Addie 2
SF: Chesson, Jaelynn 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Alsobrooks, Payton 1 ; Smith, Mary-Hannah 1 ; O'Rourke, Karsen 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
1
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
C/OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P/UT
/ SoftballUT
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballIF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P/UT
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
IF/UT
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