Friday, February 18
Raleigh, N.C.
10:00 AM
Lehigh University
vs
Mount St. Mary's
Mountain Hawks To Open 2022 Campaign At Wolfpack Classic
2/16/2022 5:34:00 PM | Softball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh softball is ready to head south and start its highly anticipated and challenging 2022 campaign. The Mountain Hawks will travel to the Wolfpack Classic in Raleigh, N.C. beginning Friday for three days. Lehigh will play five games total over the duration of the weekend against host NC State, Fairfield and Mount St. Mary's.
The Mountain Hawks are coming off an 18-16 2021 season which was shortened due to COVID-19. Lehigh battled throughout the season and ended up as the No. 2 seed the Patriot League Tournament. The Mountain Hawks went on to reach the championship round for the fourth consecutive year.
Thirteen players are returning from last year's roster, led by the Preseason All-Patriot League trio of seniors Carley Barjaktarovich, Jaelynn Chesson and Gabriella Nori. Barjaktarovich was also named Patriot League's Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and led the Mountain Hawks with a league-leading .471 batting average during the 2021 season (second-highest single season average in Lehigh history). Chesson provided the run production, leading the Patriot League with 16 doubles, eight home runs and 50 RBIs.
Nori was named to the Patriot League All-Tournament Team and as a first team All-Patriot League Pitcher during her junior season. Nori leads a young rotation of pitchers featuring sophomore Katelyn Young and first-years Anna Bjorklund and Maria Urban. Sophomore Ansley Dambach should see time pitching as well.
On Friday, Lehigh will open its season against Mount St. Mary's (10 a.m.) and NC State (12:30 p.m.).
Mount St. Mary's went 19-25 last season in the Northeast Conference. Friday's game will be the season opener for the Mountaineers as well. Lehigh is 2-1 all-time against Mount St. Mary's and won the most recent meeting in 2010.
NC State went 4-1 last weekend in its season opener at the River City Leadoff. The Wolfpack beat Winthrop, Jacksonville, Florida A&M and North Florida last weekend with their only loss coming against Western Carolina. Last year, NC State went 26-25 and 1-1 in the ACC Tournament. NC State holds the edge in the all-time series 4-1 and won the most recent meeting 12-2 in 2020.
The tournament's second day features the Mountain Hawks facing Fairfield (10 a.m.) and Mount St. Mary's again (12:30 p.m.).
Fairfield will open its season at the Wolfpack Classic against Mount St. Mary's on Friday. The Stags went 22-14 last year in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Lehigh is 11-5 all-time against Fairfield. The Stags won the most recent meeting 12-11 in eight innings back in 2011.
Lehigh and Fairfield will meet again Sunday at 10 a.m. to close out the weekend.
Live stats will be available for all five games. The NC State game will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra.
Following the Wolfpack Classic, the Mountain Hawks will be off next weekend and will return to action at the Liberty Invitational, March 4-6 in Lynchburg, Va. Lehigh is slated to face Rutgers, George Washington, Notre Dame, James Madison and the host Liberty for a total of five games over three days.
Like Lehigh Softball on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.
Story by Joey Dotta '22
The Mountain Hawks are coming off an 18-16 2021 season which was shortened due to COVID-19. Lehigh battled throughout the season and ended up as the No. 2 seed the Patriot League Tournament. The Mountain Hawks went on to reach the championship round for the fourth consecutive year.
Thirteen players are returning from last year's roster, led by the Preseason All-Patriot League trio of seniors Carley Barjaktarovich, Jaelynn Chesson and Gabriella Nori. Barjaktarovich was also named Patriot League's Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and led the Mountain Hawks with a league-leading .471 batting average during the 2021 season (second-highest single season average in Lehigh history). Chesson provided the run production, leading the Patriot League with 16 doubles, eight home runs and 50 RBIs.
Nori was named to the Patriot League All-Tournament Team and as a first team All-Patriot League Pitcher during her junior season. Nori leads a young rotation of pitchers featuring sophomore Katelyn Young and first-years Anna Bjorklund and Maria Urban. Sophomore Ansley Dambach should see time pitching as well.
On Friday, Lehigh will open its season against Mount St. Mary's (10 a.m.) and NC State (12:30 p.m.).
Mount St. Mary's went 19-25 last season in the Northeast Conference. Friday's game will be the season opener for the Mountaineers as well. Lehigh is 2-1 all-time against Mount St. Mary's and won the most recent meeting in 2010.
NC State went 4-1 last weekend in its season opener at the River City Leadoff. The Wolfpack beat Winthrop, Jacksonville, Florida A&M and North Florida last weekend with their only loss coming against Western Carolina. Last year, NC State went 26-25 and 1-1 in the ACC Tournament. NC State holds the edge in the all-time series 4-1 and won the most recent meeting 12-2 in 2020.
The tournament's second day features the Mountain Hawks facing Fairfield (10 a.m.) and Mount St. Mary's again (12:30 p.m.).
Fairfield will open its season at the Wolfpack Classic against Mount St. Mary's on Friday. The Stags went 22-14 last year in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Lehigh is 11-5 all-time against Fairfield. The Stags won the most recent meeting 12-11 in eight innings back in 2011.
Lehigh and Fairfield will meet again Sunday at 10 a.m. to close out the weekend.
Live stats will be available for all five games. The NC State game will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra.
Following the Wolfpack Classic, the Mountain Hawks will be off next weekend and will return to action at the Liberty Invitational, March 4-6 in Lynchburg, Va. Lehigh is slated to face Rutgers, George Washington, Notre Dame, James Madison and the host Liberty for a total of five games over three days.
Like Lehigh Softball on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.
Story by Joey Dotta '22
Players Mentioned
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