Friday, February 10
Tuscaloosa, Ala.
2:00 PM (ET)
Lehigh University
1-0
4
vs
2
Georgia Southern
0-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Lehigh
0
0
0
0
0
2
2
4
8
1
Georgia Southern
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
2
4
0
Photo by: Jason Homan
Lehigh Beats #7/9 Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Highlighting 2-0 Opening Day
2/10/2023 9:42:00 PM | Softball
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Mountain Hawks could not ask for a better start to their 2023 season.
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Lehigh went 2-0 on opening day at Alabama's Leadoff Classic, rallying with four runs in the final two innings to defeat Georgia Southern 4-2 and then scoring five-unanswered runs to knock off No. 7/9 Alabama 7-4 Friday at Rhoads Stadium.
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The Mountain Hawks trailed 4-2 after four innings against the Crimson Tide when senior Emily Cimino drilled a game-tying two run home run. Cimino struck again in the top of the seventh, lacing a bases-clearing three-run double to cap a five-RBI game, leading the Mountain Hawks to their first-ever victory against a team ranked in the top 10.
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"We felt like we were pretty well prepared going into the season," Lehigh head coach Fran Troyan said. "We talked to them about the fact that we competed at a high level at the end of last year and said, 'let's just pick up where we left off.' It took a while in the first game to get going, but from then on we played exceptionally well."
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The win is also the program's first over a team from the Southeastern Conference while that team was a member of the league. Lehigh has defeated Texas A&M three times but all three wins came when the Aggies were members of the Big 12.
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Alabama took a 2-0 lead two pitches into the bottom of the first inning on a two-run home run by Ashley Prange. Junior Kaitlyn Young settled in from there, retiring the next nine batters she faced.
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Lehigh pulled a run back in the top of the second as sophomore Rory Dudley reached on a one-out single and scored on a two-out double by junior Amanda Greaney.
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The Mountain Hawks tied the game in the top of the fourth as junior Brooke Cannon singled with one out and then came around to score on a pinch-hit, two-out double by first-year Abbey Tabaka.
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Emma Broadfoot put Alabama back in front in the bottom of the fourth with a two-run home run off Young, but Cimino answered in the top of the fifth with a two-run blast to straightaway center field that also brought home senior Carley Barjaktarovich.
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Young kept the Crimson Tide off the board in the fifth and sixth innings. Lehigh loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the seventh on infield singles by senior Josie Charles and Barjaktarovich and a single by first-year Lily Owens off Alabama ace Montana Fouts, who had just come on in relief.
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Cimino lined an 0-1 pitch down the left field line, brining home all three runs to give Lehigh a 7-4 lead.
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Alabama put two runners on with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but Young retired Ally Shipman on a flyout to right field and then got Bailey Dowling to ground out to Barjaktarovich at shortstop to end the game.
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"Katelyn, after giving up two runs on two pitches, really settled in and showed some significant composure, which was really cool," Troyan said. "Obviously Emily Cimino with her five RBIs was really neat.
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"It felt like we had a great preseason and they came out and competed and played hard and had fun and kept their composure when it got tight, especially there at the end."
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Young allowed four runs on ten hits in a complete game effort with a walk and no strikeouts.
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Lehigh out-hit Alabama 12-10, with Cimino leading the way, going 3-for-4 with a career high-tying five RBIs. Barjaktarovich and Owens both added two hits.
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Jaala Torrance took the loss for Alabama, allowing three runs in two-plus innings.
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In the opener against Georgia State, the Mountain Hawks spotted the Eagles a 2-0 lead after two innings of play, before battling back in the late innings. Barjaktarovich led off the sixth with a single and stole second. A single by Owens moved Barjaktarovich to third. Two batters later Dudley brought Barjaktarovich home with an RBI ground out and first-year Sydney Parlett followed with a single to left, plating Owens with the tying run.
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Greaney led off the seventh with a double as the Mountain Hawks eventually put runners on second and third with nobody out. Barjaktarovich singled to shortstop bringing pinch runner Lindsey Martin home with the go-ahead run. Owens followed with a single, bringing classmate Crysta Duenas home with an insurance run.
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In the circle, first-year Chloe Hess settled in after the first two innings, allowing just a walk and two hits over the final five frames. She finished with a line of one earned run on four hits over seven innings with six strikeouts and two walks to win her collegiate debut.
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Parlett went 3-for-3 against Georgia Southern while Barjaktarovich and Owens both added two hits.
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"It was really a total team effort," Troyan said. "We don't have a big roster, but we're going to count on everybody. To beat an SEC team and a top 10 team, is something that these players will be able to look back upon for the rest of their lives for sure, which is really cool. The goal is still to prepare for the Patriot League and Patriot League Tournament and they understand that we have a lot of work ahead of us. This should allow us to move forward with a lot of confidence."
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The Mountain Hawks will close out the Leadoff Classic on Saturday with two more games against Georgia Southern and Alabama. Lehigh will face the Eagles at 11 a.m. CT and the Crimson Tide at 4 p.m. CT. The Alabama game will once again be broadcast on SECN+.
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Like Lehigh Softball on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.
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Lehigh went 2-0 on opening day at Alabama's Leadoff Classic, rallying with four runs in the final two innings to defeat Georgia Southern 4-2 and then scoring five-unanswered runs to knock off No. 7/9 Alabama 7-4 Friday at Rhoads Stadium.
Â
The Mountain Hawks trailed 4-2 after four innings against the Crimson Tide when senior Emily Cimino drilled a game-tying two run home run. Cimino struck again in the top of the seventh, lacing a bases-clearing three-run double to cap a five-RBI game, leading the Mountain Hawks to their first-ever victory against a team ranked in the top 10.
Â
"We felt like we were pretty well prepared going into the season," Lehigh head coach Fran Troyan said. "We talked to them about the fact that we competed at a high level at the end of last year and said, 'let's just pick up where we left off.' It took a while in the first game to get going, but from then on we played exceptionally well."
Â
The win is also the program's first over a team from the Southeastern Conference while that team was a member of the league. Lehigh has defeated Texas A&M three times but all three wins came when the Aggies were members of the Big 12.
Â
Alabama took a 2-0 lead two pitches into the bottom of the first inning on a two-run home run by Ashley Prange. Junior Kaitlyn Young settled in from there, retiring the next nine batters she faced.
Â
Lehigh pulled a run back in the top of the second as sophomore Rory Dudley reached on a one-out single and scored on a two-out double by junior Amanda Greaney.
Â
The Mountain Hawks tied the game in the top of the fourth as junior Brooke Cannon singled with one out and then came around to score on a pinch-hit, two-out double by first-year Abbey Tabaka.
Â
Emma Broadfoot put Alabama back in front in the bottom of the fourth with a two-run home run off Young, but Cimino answered in the top of the fifth with a two-run blast to straightaway center field that also brought home senior Carley Barjaktarovich.
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Young kept the Crimson Tide off the board in the fifth and sixth innings. Lehigh loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the seventh on infield singles by senior Josie Charles and Barjaktarovich and a single by first-year Lily Owens off Alabama ace Montana Fouts, who had just come on in relief.
Â
Cimino lined an 0-1 pitch down the left field line, brining home all three runs to give Lehigh a 7-4 lead.
Â
Alabama put two runners on with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but Young retired Ally Shipman on a flyout to right field and then got Bailey Dowling to ground out to Barjaktarovich at shortstop to end the game.
Â
"Katelyn, after giving up two runs on two pitches, really settled in and showed some significant composure, which was really cool," Troyan said. "Obviously Emily Cimino with her five RBIs was really neat.
Â
"It felt like we had a great preseason and they came out and competed and played hard and had fun and kept their composure when it got tight, especially there at the end."
Â
Young allowed four runs on ten hits in a complete game effort with a walk and no strikeouts.
Â
Lehigh out-hit Alabama 12-10, with Cimino leading the way, going 3-for-4 with a career high-tying five RBIs. Barjaktarovich and Owens both added two hits.
Â
Jaala Torrance took the loss for Alabama, allowing three runs in two-plus innings.
Â
In the opener against Georgia State, the Mountain Hawks spotted the Eagles a 2-0 lead after two innings of play, before battling back in the late innings. Barjaktarovich led off the sixth with a single and stole second. A single by Owens moved Barjaktarovich to third. Two batters later Dudley brought Barjaktarovich home with an RBI ground out and first-year Sydney Parlett followed with a single to left, plating Owens with the tying run.
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Greaney led off the seventh with a double as the Mountain Hawks eventually put runners on second and third with nobody out. Barjaktarovich singled to shortstop bringing pinch runner Lindsey Martin home with the go-ahead run. Owens followed with a single, bringing classmate Crysta Duenas home with an insurance run.
Â
In the circle, first-year Chloe Hess settled in after the first two innings, allowing just a walk and two hits over the final five frames. She finished with a line of one earned run on four hits over seven innings with six strikeouts and two walks to win her collegiate debut.
Â
Parlett went 3-for-3 against Georgia Southern while Barjaktarovich and Owens both added two hits.
Â
"It was really a total team effort," Troyan said. "We don't have a big roster, but we're going to count on everybody. To beat an SEC team and a top 10 team, is something that these players will be able to look back upon for the rest of their lives for sure, which is really cool. The goal is still to prepare for the Patriot League and Patriot League Tournament and they understand that we have a lot of work ahead of us. This should allow us to move forward with a lot of confidence."
Â
The Mountain Hawks will close out the Leadoff Classic on Saturday with two more games against Georgia Southern and Alabama. Lehigh will face the Eagles at 11 a.m. CT and the Crimson Tide at 4 p.m. CT. The Alabama game will once again be broadcast on SECN+.
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Like Lehigh Softball on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hess, Chloe (1-0)
L: Graceanne Spears (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Greaney, Amanda 1
RBI: Barjaktarovich, Carley 1 ; Owens, Lily 1 ; Dudley, Rory 1 ; Parlett, Sydney 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Barjaktarovich, Carley 1 ; Owens, Lily 1 ; Martin, Lindsey 1 ; Duenas, Crysta 1
SB: Barjaktarovich, Carley 1 ; Owens, Lily 2 ; Duenas, Crysta 1
HBP: Tabaka, Abbey 1
Batting:
RBI: Sam Vinson 1 ; Dejah Mills 1
SH: Olivia Creamer 1 ; Kinley Stewart 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Faith Barth 1 ; Emily Greek 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
0
H
3
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
IF/OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
C/UT
/ Softball
IF
/ SoftballC
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballIF
/ SoftballUT
/ Softball
UT
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