Friday, March 8
Tempe, Ariz.
11:00 AM
Lehigh University
vs
South Dakota
Mountain Hawks to Visit Valley of the Sun for 12 Games Over Spring Break
3/6/2019 2:53:00 PM | Softball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Twelve games spread over nine days await the Lehigh softball team as the Mountain Hawks head to Arizona for their annual spring break trip. Lehigh will begin its trip with five games over three days at the ASU Invitational in Tempe, and after a single game against Arizona State will make the short trek to Phoenix to play a doubleheader against Grand Canyon before closing out the trip with four games at the GCU Invitational.
Lehigh comes in at 5-2 after two weekends of play but will be challenged over spring break with three of its eight opponents ranked in the top 25 and five of the eight having qualified for last year's NCAA Tournament.
The Mountain Hawks enjoyed a 4-1 showing last weekend at the Courtyard by Marriott Seahawk Softball Classic in Wilmington, N.C., defeating UMBC twice and North Carolina A&T once while splitting two games with host UNCW.
Junior Hannah Edwards led Lehigh at the plate, going 7-for-17 with six runs scored over the five games. Freshman Addie Kittel added five hits and four RBI, while junior Mary-Hannah Smith matched Edwards with seven hits and drove in a team-best five runs.
Freshman Jaelynn Chesson leads Lehigh offensively through seven games with a .520 batting average (13-for-25). Classmate Carley Barjaktarovich is second at .429 and leads the Mountain Hawks with five stolen bases. Smith is hitting .407 and leads Lehigh with six RBIs. Five of Smith's 11 hits this season have gone for extra bases.
In the circle, Lehigh has received solid contributions from all three of its starters. Freshman Gabriella Nori was named Patriot League Pitcher of the Week after allowing one earned run in 13 innings with 16 strikeouts last week. Junior Parker Boyd is 2-1 on the season with 19 strikeouts in 18 innings of work. Senior Emily Sorem threw a two-hit shutout against North Carolina A&T and has not allowed a run in eight innings this season.
The Arizona trip also marks a homecoming for three Mountain Hawks. Sophomores Payton Alsobrooks (Glendale) and Lainey Stephenson (Scottsdale) and freshman Melissa Fedorka (Phoenix) all hail from the Phoenix metropolitan area.
Lehigh will kick things off with the ASU Invitational. On Friday, Lehigh will face South Dakota (11 a.m. ET) and No. 25 Michigan (4 p.m. ET). On Saturday, the Mountain Hawks will face No. 21 James Madison (4 p.m. ET) and No. 16 Arizona State (9 p.m. ET), while the final day of the ASU Invitational will match Lehigh against defending WAC Champion New Mexico State at 12:30 p.m. ET.
South Dakota is 13-9 heading into a Wednesday doubleheader at Loyola Marymount. Michigan is 9-8 against top flight competition. James Madison, a NCAA Tournament team last season, is 7-4, while Arizona State enters the weekend at 15-6. New Mexico State enters this weekend's action at 9-7.
Lehigh is 4-0 all-time against South Dakota, with the four previous meetings coming in Florida over spring break from 2010-2012. The Mountain Hawks are 1-3 versus James Madison with the teams splitting two games in 2004 and JMU taking two in 2011. Lehigh will face Michigan, Arizona State and New Mexico State for the first time.
The Mountain Hawks will follow the ASU Invitational with a single game against Arizona State Tuesday, March 12 at 9:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. MST). On Wednesday, Lehigh will head to Phoenix to play a doubleheader against GCU. The Lopes are 11-8 on the season and will host No. 1 Florida State in a Wednesday doubleheader before heading to Oklahoma for a four-game tournament. Lehigh played GCU twice over spring break in California in 2017 with each team winning once.
Lehigh will close out its trip with four games over two days at the GCU Invitational March 15-16. The Mountain Hawks will play games against Ohio State and Weber State both days with Lehigh action both days starting at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. MST. Ohio State, a NCAA Tournament participant last season, is 8-4 heading into a western trip that will cover Seattle, Portland and Phoenix. Weber State is 4-9 on the season and will play in a tournament at Santa Clara prior to its trip to Phoenix. The games at the GCU Invitational will be Lehigh's first against both Ohio State and Weber State.
Upon returning from spring break, Lehigh is slated to play a single game at Delaware on March 20 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 comes in at 5-2 after two weekends of play but will be challenged over spring break with three of its eight opponents ranked in the top 25 and five of the eight having qualified for last year's NCAA Tournament.
The Mountain Hawks enjoyed a 4-1 showing last weekend at the Courtyard by Marriott Seahawk Softball Classic in Wilmington, N.C., defeating UMBC twice and North Carolina A&T once while splitting two games with host UNCW.
Junior Hannah Edwards led Lehigh at the plate, going 7-for-17 with six runs scored over the five games. Freshman Addie Kittel added five hits and four RBI, while junior Mary-Hannah Smith matched Edwards with seven hits and drove in a team-best five runs.
Freshman Jaelynn Chesson leads Lehigh offensively through seven games with a .520 batting average (13-for-25). Classmate Carley Barjaktarovich is second at .429 and leads the Mountain Hawks with five stolen bases. Smith is hitting .407 and leads Lehigh with six RBIs. Five of Smith's 11 hits this season have gone for extra bases.
In the circle, Lehigh has received solid contributions from all three of its starters. Freshman Gabriella Nori was named Patriot League Pitcher of the Week after allowing one earned run in 13 innings with 16 strikeouts last week. Junior Parker Boyd is 2-1 on the season with 19 strikeouts in 18 innings of work. Senior Emily Sorem threw a two-hit shutout against North Carolina A&T and has not allowed a run in eight innings this season.
The Arizona trip also marks a homecoming for three Mountain Hawks. Sophomores Payton Alsobrooks (Glendale) and Lainey Stephenson (Scottsdale) and freshman Melissa Fedorka (Phoenix) all hail from the Phoenix metropolitan area.
Lehigh will kick things off with the ASU Invitational. On Friday, Lehigh will face South Dakota (11 a.m. ET) and No. 25 Michigan (4 p.m. ET). On Saturday, the Mountain Hawks will face No. 21 James Madison (4 p.m. ET) and No. 16 Arizona State (9 p.m. ET), while the final day of the ASU Invitational will match Lehigh against defending WAC Champion New Mexico State at 12:30 p.m. ET.
South Dakota is 13-9 heading into a Wednesday doubleheader at Loyola Marymount. Michigan is 9-8 against top flight competition. James Madison, a NCAA Tournament team last season, is 7-4, while Arizona State enters the weekend at 15-6. New Mexico State enters this weekend's action at 9-7.
Lehigh is 4-0 all-time against South Dakota, with the four previous meetings coming in Florida over spring break from 2010-2012. The Mountain Hawks are 1-3 versus James Madison with the teams splitting two games in 2004 and JMU taking two in 2011. Lehigh will face Michigan, Arizona State and New Mexico State for the first time.
The Mountain Hawks will follow the ASU Invitational with a single game against Arizona State Tuesday, March 12 at 9:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. MST). On Wednesday, Lehigh will head to Phoenix to play a doubleheader against GCU. The Lopes are 11-8 on the season and will host No. 1 Florida State in a Wednesday doubleheader before heading to Oklahoma for a four-game tournament. Lehigh played GCU twice over spring break in California in 2017 with each team winning once.
Lehigh will close out its trip with four games over two days at the GCU Invitational March 15-16. The Mountain Hawks will play games against Ohio State and Weber State both days with Lehigh action both days starting at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. MST. Ohio State, a NCAA Tournament participant last season, is 8-4 heading into a western trip that will cover Seattle, Portland and Phoenix. Weber State is 4-9 on the season and will play in a tournament at Santa Clara prior to its trip to Phoenix. The games at the GCU Invitational will be Lehigh's first against both Ohio State and Weber State.
Upon returning from spring break, Lehigh is slated to play a single game at Delaware on March 20 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.
Players Mentioned
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P/UT
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OF
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IF
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UT
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P
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IF
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P
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P/UT
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