Wednesday, March 27
Bethlehem, Pa.
2:30 PM
Lehigh University
10-14
5
vs
2
Kent State
11-17
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Kent State
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
2
4
2
Lehigh
1
1
3
0
0
0
X
5
13
3
Lehigh earns 5-2 game one win as part of home-opening doubleheader split
3/27/2019 8:03:00 PM | Softball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh softball team opened its home schedule with a 5-2 win over Kent State Wednesday in the first game of a doubleheader at Leadership Park. The Mountain Hawks had to settle for a split in their home-opening twin bill as the visiting Golden Flashes took the nightcap 5-0.
Junior Hannah Edwards and freshman Karsen O'Rourke both had three hits to lead a 13-hit attack in the opener, before two Kent State pitchers held Lehigh to just one in game two. The Mountain Hawks are now 10-15 on the season.
Lehigh started fast in the bottom of the first inning of game one. After three straight singles to open the frame, a sacrifice fly by freshman Jaelynn Chesson scored Edwards to give Lehigh a 1-0 lead. The Mountain Hawks loaded the bases again in the second. O'Rourke led off the frame with a single and scored when junior Mary-Hannah Smith reached on a fielder's choice to put the Mountain Hawks up 2-0.
Bailey Brownfield pulled Kent State even in the top of the third with a two-out, two-run double, but Lehigh responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 5-2 lead. Senior Jennifer Stoll singled with one out and then stole second before scoring the go-ahead run on a single by freshman Carley Barjaktarovich. Two batters later, O'Rourke lined a single to right center, plating Barjaktarovich. O'Rourke then stole second, moved to third on a bunt single by Edwards, and scored Lehigh's third run of the inning after an error on a stolen base by Edwards.
Junior Parker Boyd allowed just one hit after the third inning as part of a complete-game effort to earn her fifth win of the season. She allowed two runs on four hits with no walks and seven strikeouts.
"We came out in game one and hit well," Lehigh head coach Fran Troyan said. "Hitting for us is contagious. It was good to have Hannah Edwards back in the lineup after an absence. We did a good job on offense and Parker pitched a great game."
Game two was scoreless through two innings before Kent State scored a pair of two-out runs on a Brownfield double and a Carlee Selle RBI single. Megan Turner homered with one out in the fourth to extend Kent State's lead and the Golden Flashes tacked on two more runs behind another Brownfield RBI double in the fifth and a run-scoring Lehigh error in the seventh.
Lehigh mustered just two base runners against a pair of Kent State pitchers. Junior Emily Preble was hit by a pitch with two outs in the third and Chesson singled off the third base bag with two outs in the fourth.
Madi Huck threw four scoreless, one-hit innings, keeping Lehigh off balance by inducing 10 of her 12 outs on ground balls. Andrea Scali then finished the game with three perfect innings, striking out eight of the nine batters she faced.
"It was a good combination that they threw at us," Troyan said. "Their second pitcher stifled us down the stretch."
Freshman Gabriella Nori allowed four runs on seven hits in 4.1 innings with a walk and five strikeouts. Senior Emily Sorem allowed one unearned run with four strikeouts over the final 2.2 innings.
"It was nice to challenge ourselves against a formidable opponent," Troyan said. "We've been challenged all year. We've played some really good competition and hopefully it pays off for us."
The Mountain Hawks return to Patriot League play when they host Bucknell for three games this weekend at Leadership Park. Lehigh and Bucknell will play a doubleheader Saturday and a single game Sunday with start times both days set for noon.
Like Lehigh Softball on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.
Junior Hannah Edwards and freshman Karsen O'Rourke both had three hits to lead a 13-hit attack in the opener, before two Kent State pitchers held Lehigh to just one in game two. The Mountain Hawks are now 10-15 on the season.
Lehigh started fast in the bottom of the first inning of game one. After three straight singles to open the frame, a sacrifice fly by freshman Jaelynn Chesson scored Edwards to give Lehigh a 1-0 lead. The Mountain Hawks loaded the bases again in the second. O'Rourke led off the frame with a single and scored when junior Mary-Hannah Smith reached on a fielder's choice to put the Mountain Hawks up 2-0.
Bailey Brownfield pulled Kent State even in the top of the third with a two-out, two-run double, but Lehigh responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 5-2 lead. Senior Jennifer Stoll singled with one out and then stole second before scoring the go-ahead run on a single by freshman Carley Barjaktarovich. Two batters later, O'Rourke lined a single to right center, plating Barjaktarovich. O'Rourke then stole second, moved to third on a bunt single by Edwards, and scored Lehigh's third run of the inning after an error on a stolen base by Edwards.
Junior Parker Boyd allowed just one hit after the third inning as part of a complete-game effort to earn her fifth win of the season. She allowed two runs on four hits with no walks and seven strikeouts.
"We came out in game one and hit well," Lehigh head coach Fran Troyan said. "Hitting for us is contagious. It was good to have Hannah Edwards back in the lineup after an absence. We did a good job on offense and Parker pitched a great game."
Game two was scoreless through two innings before Kent State scored a pair of two-out runs on a Brownfield double and a Carlee Selle RBI single. Megan Turner homered with one out in the fourth to extend Kent State's lead and the Golden Flashes tacked on two more runs behind another Brownfield RBI double in the fifth and a run-scoring Lehigh error in the seventh.
Lehigh mustered just two base runners against a pair of Kent State pitchers. Junior Emily Preble was hit by a pitch with two outs in the third and Chesson singled off the third base bag with two outs in the fourth.
Madi Huck threw four scoreless, one-hit innings, keeping Lehigh off balance by inducing 10 of her 12 outs on ground balls. Andrea Scali then finished the game with three perfect innings, striking out eight of the nine batters she faced.
"It was a good combination that they threw at us," Troyan said. "Their second pitcher stifled us down the stretch."
Freshman Gabriella Nori allowed four runs on seven hits in 4.1 innings with a walk and five strikeouts. Senior Emily Sorem allowed one unearned run with four strikeouts over the final 2.2 innings.
"It was nice to challenge ourselves against a formidable opponent," Troyan said. "We've been challenged all year. We've played some really good competition and hopefully it pays off for us."
The Mountain Hawks return to Patriot League play when they host Bucknell for three games this weekend at Leadership Park. Lehigh and Bucknell will play a doubleheader Saturday and a single game Sunday with start times both days set for noon.
Like Lehigh Softball on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Boyd, Parker (5-5)
L: KELLY, Anilese (1-3)
Batting:
2B: BROWNFIELD, Bailey 2
RBI: BROWNFIELD, Bailey 2
SH: TURNER, Megan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: BRANCIFORT, Hunter 1 ; ABESKA, Kellie 1
SB: WHITT, Brooklyn 1
Batting:
2B: Chesson, Jaelynn 1
RBI: Smith, Mary-Hannah 1 ; Chesson, Jaelynn 1 ; Barjaktarovich, Carley 1 ; O'Rourke, Karsen 1
SF: Chesson, Jaelynn 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Edwards, Hannah 1 ; Stoll, Jennifer 1 ; Barjaktarovich, Carley 1 ; O'Rourke, Karsen 2
SB: Edwards, Hannah 1 ; Stoll, Jennifer 1 ; O'Rourke, Karsen 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
0
AB
3
R
2
H
3
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P/UT
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballIF
/ Softball
C
/ SoftballIF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
IF
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