Home Runs Doom Mountain Hawks in Two Games Friday at JMU Classic
3/11/2022 5:13:00 PM | Softball
Senior Karsen O'Rourke paced the offense, going 4-for-5 over the two games with two RBIs and a run scored. Lehigh pitching fell victim to the home run ball, however, as the Razorbacks and Dukes combined to hit 10 long balls, dropping the Mountain Hawks to 3-9 on the season.
First-year Rory Dudley went 2-for-3 with a run scored against James Madison (6-9). Dudley led off the second inning with a single and scored on a throwing error following an O'Rourke single to give Lehigh an early 1-0 lead.
The Dukes tied the game on Isabelle Fishman's RBI single in the bottom of the second and sophomore Brooke Cannon put Lehigh back in front with a home run to left center in the third inning.
Hallie Hall hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the third to put JMU ahead for good, while Emily Phillips and Hannah Shifflett added home runs for the Dukes. Shifflett went 3-for-3 for James Madison, while Phillips and Hall combined for four hits and five RBIs.
Lehigh finished with five hits against JMU, two apiece by O'Rourke and Dudley plus the Cannon home run. O'Rourke's last at-bat featured a hard line drive up the middle that was grabbed by pitcher Meredith Wells.
Senior Gabriella Nori struck out seven in 3.1 innings of work but gave up seven runs on nine hits, including seven extra base hits.
In its first game Friday, Lehigh allowed 19 runs on 14 hits to the top 15-ranked Razorbacks, including seven home runs.
O'Rourke had two of Lehigh's three hits, singling home Dudley in the second and adding a triple and a run scored in the fifth. Junior Josie Charles had Lehigh's other hit.
Leadoff hitter KB Sides went 4-for-4 with two doubles, a home run and four RBIs for Arkansas (17-4). Taylor Ellsworth homered twice and drove in three and Valerie Ventura homered and drove in four for the Razorbacks, who scored four, seven, five and then three runs in their four turns at bat.
The Mountain Hawks will head to Florida for the second part of their spring break trip, beginning a six-game stretch in Tampa with a game against Niagara, Wednesday at 4 p.m. at USF.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Jenna Bloom (6-0)
L: Young, Katelyn (1-4)
S: Callie Turner (1)

Batting:
3B: O'Rourke, Karsen 1
RBI: O'Rourke, Karsen 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Dudley, Rory 1 ; O'Rourke, Karsen 1

Batting:
2B: KB Sides 2 ; Danielle Gibson 1
3B: KB Sides 1
HR: KB Sides 1 ; Taylor Ellsworth 2 ; Danielle Gibson 1 ; Hannah Gammill 1 ; Marlene Friedman 1 ; Valerie Ventura 1
RBI: KB Sides 3 ; Taylor Ellsworth 3 ; Danielle Gibson 1 ; Hannah Gammill 2 ; Rylin Hedgecock 2 ; Marlene Friedman 2 ; Kacie Hoffmann 1 ; Valerie Ventura 4
Base Running:
RUNS: KB Sides 2 ; Taylor Ellsworth 2 ; Danielle Gibson 3 ; Raigan Kramer 1 ; Hannah Gammill 3 ; Linnie Malkin 2 ; Mallory Hardwick 1 ; Rylin Hedgecock 1 ; Marlene Friedman 1 ; Cally Kildow 2 ; Valerie Ventura 1
HBP: Danielle Gibson 1 ; Rylin Hedgecock 1