Saturday, April 13
Bethlehem, Pa.
12:00 PM
Lehigh University
3
vs
11
Army West Point
Lehigh rallies to walk off with game two win; earn Saturday split with Army
4/13/2019 6:37:00 PM | Softball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Freshman Jaelynn Chesson delivered a single to right center field in the bottom of the seventh to give Lehigh a come-from-behind 4-3 victory over Army West Point Saturday in the second game of a doubleheader at Leadership Park. The Mountain Hawks trailed 2-0 and 3-2 but kept battling back with first-year players driving in all four runs to help Lehigh earn a Saturday split. The Black Knights racked up 18 hits in an 11-3 win in game one.
Lehigh moves to 15-22 overall with the split, while Army is now 19-24. Both teams are tied for third in the league standings at 5-6.
The Mountain Hawks received offensive contributions from multiple players throughout the day. Freshman Addie Kittel had a two run double in both games, while classmate Carley Barjaktarovich tied game two at 3-3 with a clutch RBI single. Senior Jennifer Stoll had two hits in both games and classmate Ashley Rabago returned to the starting lineup, going 3-for-4 in the nightcap with two runs scored including the game-winner.
Looking to bounce back from the game one loss, Lehigh fell behind 1-0 in the first inning of game two on a sacrifice fly by Emily Ballesteros that scored Ashley Yoo, who led off the game with a double and took third on a throwing error.
Ballesteros doubled Army's lead with a single in the third inning as the Black Knights capitalized with two outs following an error by freshman starter Gabriella Nori.
Singles by Rabago and Chesson put two on for Kittel in the bottom of the third and Kittel delivered a RBI double that dropped just inside the left field line, scoring two runs to tie the game at 2-2.
The Black Knights got another two-out hit in the fourth inning to take a 3-2 lead as pitcher Jolie Duong helped herself with a single that scored Taylor Drayton from second base.
Nori settled in after that, allowing just two base runners over the final three innings. She finished with a line of three runs (one earned) on six hits with six strikeouts and zero walks as she improves to 6-10 on the season.
Lehigh used a two-out rally to tie the game in the home fourth as Stoll singled, stole second and then raced home as Barjaktarovich dunked a single into right center.
Duong doubled with one out in the seventh but Nori stranded her at second after a ground out and a foul out to left.
Rabago started off the seventh by legging out an infield single. She then stole second and moved to third on a single by junior Mary-Hannah Smith. Chesson then drilled the first pitch from Duong up the alley in right center, plating Rabago to give Lehigh the walk-off win.
"We made some miscues early in game two that cost us a couple of unearned runs," Lehigh head coach Fran Troyan said. "We kept plugging away. It was good to see Ashley Rabago back in the lineup and getting that infield hit to begin with. Going forward, Mary-Hannah had a big hit and then Jaelynn had her big hit."
In Saturday's first game, junior Parker Boyd navigated a bases-loaded jam in the top of the first, then got three runs of support in the bottom half. After walks to Smith and Chesson, Kittel doubled to right center to put Lehigh up 2-0. Later in the frame junior Emily Preble delivered a RBI with a fielder's choice.
An Ashley Yoo single put Army on the board in the second and the Black Knights took the lead with three runs on four hits in the third, taking the lead on a two-run Duong single.
The Black Knights added to their lead with a run in the fifth, four in the sixth and two in the seventh. Carrie Reilly went 4-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored for the Black Knights, while Yoo and Ally Snelling also had three hits.
Lehigh was held in check by Macey Newbary over the final 6.1 innings as she earned the win in relief. The Mountain Hawks loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth but Newbary struck out freshman Karsen O'Rourke to end the threat. Lehigh finished with five hits in the opener.
Boyd took the loss, allowing four runs on nine hits in 2.1 innings of work. Senior Emily Sorem went the rest of the way in game one.
"They crushed us," Troyan said. "Our pitchers may have let the strike zone get in their heads a little bit. We pitched to the umpire's strike zone instead of pitching to the batter's."
With the threat of inclement weather, Sunday's series finale has been moved up to a 10 a.m. start time from Leadership Park. Lehigh will recognize its three seniors prior to the contest.
Like Lehigh Softball on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.
Lehigh moves to 15-22 overall with the split, while Army is now 19-24. Both teams are tied for third in the league standings at 5-6.
The Mountain Hawks received offensive contributions from multiple players throughout the day. Freshman Addie Kittel had a two run double in both games, while classmate Carley Barjaktarovich tied game two at 3-3 with a clutch RBI single. Senior Jennifer Stoll had two hits in both games and classmate Ashley Rabago returned to the starting lineup, going 3-for-4 in the nightcap with two runs scored including the game-winner.
Looking to bounce back from the game one loss, Lehigh fell behind 1-0 in the first inning of game two on a sacrifice fly by Emily Ballesteros that scored Ashley Yoo, who led off the game with a double and took third on a throwing error.
Ballesteros doubled Army's lead with a single in the third inning as the Black Knights capitalized with two outs following an error by freshman starter Gabriella Nori.
Singles by Rabago and Chesson put two on for Kittel in the bottom of the third and Kittel delivered a RBI double that dropped just inside the left field line, scoring two runs to tie the game at 2-2.
The Black Knights got another two-out hit in the fourth inning to take a 3-2 lead as pitcher Jolie Duong helped herself with a single that scored Taylor Drayton from second base.
Nori settled in after that, allowing just two base runners over the final three innings. She finished with a line of three runs (one earned) on six hits with six strikeouts and zero walks as she improves to 6-10 on the season.
Lehigh used a two-out rally to tie the game in the home fourth as Stoll singled, stole second and then raced home as Barjaktarovich dunked a single into right center.
Duong doubled with one out in the seventh but Nori stranded her at second after a ground out and a foul out to left.
Rabago started off the seventh by legging out an infield single. She then stole second and moved to third on a single by junior Mary-Hannah Smith. Chesson then drilled the first pitch from Duong up the alley in right center, plating Rabago to give Lehigh the walk-off win.
"We made some miscues early in game two that cost us a couple of unearned runs," Lehigh head coach Fran Troyan said. "We kept plugging away. It was good to see Ashley Rabago back in the lineup and getting that infield hit to begin with. Going forward, Mary-Hannah had a big hit and then Jaelynn had her big hit."
In Saturday's first game, junior Parker Boyd navigated a bases-loaded jam in the top of the first, then got three runs of support in the bottom half. After walks to Smith and Chesson, Kittel doubled to right center to put Lehigh up 2-0. Later in the frame junior Emily Preble delivered a RBI with a fielder's choice.
An Ashley Yoo single put Army on the board in the second and the Black Knights took the lead with three runs on four hits in the third, taking the lead on a two-run Duong single.
The Black Knights added to their lead with a run in the fifth, four in the sixth and two in the seventh. Carrie Reilly went 4-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored for the Black Knights, while Yoo and Ally Snelling also had three hits.
Lehigh was held in check by Macey Newbary over the final 6.1 innings as she earned the win in relief. The Mountain Hawks loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth but Newbary struck out freshman Karsen O'Rourke to end the threat. Lehigh finished with five hits in the opener.
Boyd took the loss, allowing four runs on nine hits in 2.1 innings of work. Senior Emily Sorem went the rest of the way in game one.
"They crushed us," Troyan said. "Our pitchers may have let the strike zone get in their heads a little bit. We pitched to the umpire's strike zone instead of pitching to the batter's."
With the threat of inclement weather, Sunday's series finale has been moved up to a 10 a.m. start time from Leadership Park. Lehigh will recognize its three seniors prior to the contest.
Like Lehigh Softball on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P/UT
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
IF
/ SoftballLehigh Sports Central: Softball
Wednesday, April 30
2025 Season Preview: Softball
Thursday, February 06
Lehigh Sports Central: Softball
Wednesday, April 17
