Friday, April 9
Worcester, Mass.
1:30 PM
Lehigh University
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Holy Cross
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Pitching Propels Lehigh To Doubleheader Sweep At Holy Cross
4/9/2021 6:39:00 PM | Softball
WORCESTER, Mass. – Behind strong pitching performances from junior Gabriella Nori and freshman Katelyn Young, Lehigh evened its Patriot League record at 4-4 with a doubleheader sweep of Holy Cross Friday at Freshman Field. Nori and Young combined on a two-hitter as Lehigh took the opener 6-0, while Nori went the distance herself in the nightcap, a 3-1 Mountain Hawks victory.
Junior Jaelynn Chesson provided the offense in game two with her fourth home run of the season and added an RBI in game one as the Mountain Hawks improve to 6-10 overall in 2021. Freshman Brooke Cannon went 4-for-7 in Friday's doubleheader and is now 9-for-13 over her last three games. Junior Carley Barjaktarovich went 6-for-8 Friday, with three runs scored and raised her season batting average to .500 (28-for-56).
In game one, Nori retired all 12 batters she faced over four innings, striking out seven. She struck out the side in both the second and third innings. With Lehigh leading 4-0, Young came in and pitched the final three frames. Young struck out the side in her first inning of work. The only hits for Holy Cross were back-to-back singles by Jessica Mott and Kari Jacobson with one out in the sixth. Young walked one and finished with five strikeouts as she was credited with a save.
Offensively, Lehigh broke through with three runs in the third inning. Senior Payton Alsobrooks and Barjaktarovich led off with consecutive singles. After a fielder's choice and a wild pitch, sophomore Emily Cimino plated Barjaktarovich with a ground out before Chesson singled home sophomore Josie Charles. Holy Cross errors on balls hit by Lehigh's next two batters allowed Chesson to score Lehigh's third run of the frame.
The Mountain Hawks added a run in the fifth as junior Karsen O'Rourke drew a bases loaded walk, and two more in the sixth as Barjaktarovich scored on a passed ball and Cannon plated Charles with an RBI single.
Barjaktarovich and Cannon were both 3-for-4 in game one, a feat Barjaktarovich replicated in the nightcap.
Game two matched Nori against Holy Cross ace Kelly Nelson.
Lehigh's only scoring in game two came in the third inning. Alsobrooks and Barjaktarovich reached on singles and with two outs, Chesson drilled a three-run home run over the left field fence, her fourth home run of the season.
Nori successfully navigated the Crusader lineup in game two to post her second win of the day. She allowed a run on six hits with two walks and seven strikeouts. She allowed baserunners in each of the first six innings but just one run on an Erin Bengston solo home run leading off the sixth. Nori set Holy Cross (5-9, 2-6 PL) down in order in the seventh to secure the doubleheader sweep.
Saturday's final two games of the series have been postponed as Holy Cross is going on a campus-wide pause of activity due to a rise in COVID-19 positive tests within its community.
The Mountain Hawks will visit Colgate for a four-game series Apr. 17-18.
Like Lehigh Softball on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.
Junior Jaelynn Chesson provided the offense in game two with her fourth home run of the season and added an RBI in game one as the Mountain Hawks improve to 6-10 overall in 2021. Freshman Brooke Cannon went 4-for-7 in Friday's doubleheader and is now 9-for-13 over her last three games. Junior Carley Barjaktarovich went 6-for-8 Friday, with three runs scored and raised her season batting average to .500 (28-for-56).
In game one, Nori retired all 12 batters she faced over four innings, striking out seven. She struck out the side in both the second and third innings. With Lehigh leading 4-0, Young came in and pitched the final three frames. Young struck out the side in her first inning of work. The only hits for Holy Cross were back-to-back singles by Jessica Mott and Kari Jacobson with one out in the sixth. Young walked one and finished with five strikeouts as she was credited with a save.
Offensively, Lehigh broke through with three runs in the third inning. Senior Payton Alsobrooks and Barjaktarovich led off with consecutive singles. After a fielder's choice and a wild pitch, sophomore Emily Cimino plated Barjaktarovich with a ground out before Chesson singled home sophomore Josie Charles. Holy Cross errors on balls hit by Lehigh's next two batters allowed Chesson to score Lehigh's third run of the frame.
The Mountain Hawks added a run in the fifth as junior Karsen O'Rourke drew a bases loaded walk, and two more in the sixth as Barjaktarovich scored on a passed ball and Cannon plated Charles with an RBI single.
Barjaktarovich and Cannon were both 3-for-4 in game one, a feat Barjaktarovich replicated in the nightcap.
Game two matched Nori against Holy Cross ace Kelly Nelson.
Lehigh's only scoring in game two came in the third inning. Alsobrooks and Barjaktarovich reached on singles and with two outs, Chesson drilled a three-run home run over the left field fence, her fourth home run of the season.
Nori successfully navigated the Crusader lineup in game two to post her second win of the day. She allowed a run on six hits with two walks and seven strikeouts. She allowed baserunners in each of the first six innings but just one run on an Erin Bengston solo home run leading off the sixth. Nori set Holy Cross (5-9, 2-6 PL) down in order in the seventh to secure the doubleheader sweep.
Saturday's final two games of the series have been postponed as Holy Cross is going on a campus-wide pause of activity due to a rise in COVID-19 positive tests within its community.
The Mountain Hawks will visit Colgate for a four-game series Apr. 17-18.
Like Lehigh Softball on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Nori, Gabriella (2-4)
L: Megan Yurchick (1-6)
S: Young, Katelyn (1)
Batting:
2B: Barjaktarovich, Carley 1
RBI: Cimino, Emily 1 ; Chesson, Jaelynn 1 ; Cannon, Brooke 1 ; O'Rourke, Karsen 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Barjaktarovich, Carley 2 ; Charles, Josie 2 ; Cimino, Emily 1 ; Chesson, Jaelynn 1
SB: O'Rourke, Karsen 2
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
3
RBI
1
AB
3
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
IF
/ SoftballIF
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OF
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IF/OF
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