Lehigh University
11-11, 2-0
Lafayette
5-21, 0-4
Chesson Sets HR Mark, Cimino Drives in Seven as Lehigh Takes Two From Lafayette
4/2/2022 7:24:00 PM | Softball
Lehigh totaled 15 runs on 17 hits over the two games. Junior Emily Cimino led the way for the Mountain Hawks, going 5-for-7 with seven RBIs and a grand slam. Senior Jaelynn Chesson followed Cimino's game-one grand slam with a solo home run, the 29th of her career, setting a new Lehigh record for career home runs.
The record-breaking J-💣!
— Lehigh Softball (@Lehighsoftball) April 2, 2022
Watch: https://t.co/wVB3CUHTUL pic.twitter.com/1L7Oi1mHk5
Lehigh has now won seven straight games to improve to 12-11 for the season and 3-0 in Patriot League play. With the doubleheader sweep, the Mountain Hawks have now won 12 straight against the Leopards.
Lehigh started game one by scoring two unearned runs in the bottom of the first as Karsen O'Rourke hit a two-RBI single to right center, bringing home first-year Rory Dudley and Cimino.
Emily Cimino hit this one a long way to extend the Lehigh lead.
— Lehigh Softball (@Lehighsoftball) April 2, 2022
Watch: https://t.co/wVB3CUHTUL pic.twitter.com/fT4zuTPGxq
Lafayette scored one run in the top of the third but Lehigh pulled away with five in the bottom of the fourth to go up 7-1. Cimino belted a grand slam to right center, her second of the season, to put Lehigh up 6-1 and then Chesson followed with her record-setting blast to left center, her ninth of 2022. Chesson broke the record of 28 previously held by Morgan Decker '16.
Lafayette picked up a second run in the top of the fifth inning. Cimino added to her stellar performance with an RBI single in the sixth to put Lehigh up 8-2.
Senior Gabriella Nori picked up the win, allowing two runs on four hits in six innings with one walk and five strikeouts. First-year Maria Urban finished the game for the Mountain Hawks, with a scoreless inning of relief.
Cimino went 3-for-4 with five RBIs in the opener with Chesson contributing a solo home run.
Game two saw Lafayette score twice in the top of the third inning on RBI hits by Natasha Miner and Harlie Bickett.
Cimino kept her momentum going into game two with a two-run RBI triple in the bottom of the third. An errant throw allowed Cimino to come home with the go-ahead run.
A two-run RBI single down the right field line by senior Karsen O'Rourke in the bottom of the fourth put Lehigh up 5-2.
Junior Lexington Poole added two more runs for the Mountain Hawks with a pinch-hit two-run single in the bottom of the sixth to put Lehigh up by a 7-2 margin.
Cimino led the way, going 2-for-3 with two RBIs, while Dudley and sophomore Brooke Cannon recorded multiple hits as well.
Emily Cimino went 5-for-7 in today's doubleheader sweep with a grand slam and seven RBIs! She also made a great diving catch late in game two! pic.twitter.com/ZVv0lzYQol
— Lehigh Softball (@Lehighsoftball) April 2, 2022
Sophomore Katelyn Young earned the win after allowing two runs off four hits with two strikeouts and two walks in seven innings.
We caught up with Lehigh's new career home run 👸- Jaelynn Chesson pic.twitter.com/VVdhTIYxpo
— Lehigh Softball (@Lehighsoftball) April 2, 2022
Lafayette falls to 5-22 overall and 0-5 in the league with Saturday's two setbacks.
The Mountain Hawks and Leopards will play the final game of their series on Sunday, with first pitch moved up to 11 a.m. due to the threat of inclement weather. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
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Story by Joey Dotta '22
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Nori, Gabriella (6-6)
L: Van Wyk, Kinzi (4-7)
Batting:
RBI: Bickett, Harlie 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Ciccone-Cozart, Kaya 1 ; Romano, Julia 1
HBP: Miner, Natasha 1 ; Romano, Julia 1
Batting:
HR: Cimino, Emily 1 ; Chesson, Jaelynn 1
RBI: Cimino, Emily 5 ; Chesson, Jaelynn 1 ; O'Rourke, Karsen 2
SH: Barjaktarovich, Carley 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Barjaktarovich, Carley 1 ; Cimino, Emily 2 ; Chesson, Jaelynn 1 ; Dudley, Rory 1 ; Martin, Lindsey 1 ; Charles, Josie 2
SB: Cannon, Brooke 1 ; O'Rourke, Karsen 1
