Lehigh University Athletics
Thursday, May 9
Brighton, Mass.
12:30 PM
Lehigh University
vs
Bucknell
Photo by: Mario Terrana
Mountain Hawks Return To Boston For PLT Beginning Thursday
5/8/2024 3:25:00 PM | Softball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Less than a week after closing out the regular season in Boston, the Mountain Hawks return for the Patriot League Tournament as Boston University hosts for the sixth consecutive time. The regular season title came down to the final weekend once again, with BU winning three games from Lehigh by a combined four runs to claim the No. 1 seed and the right to host the tournament. Bolstered by a school-record 17-game winning streak spanning late March and most of April, Lehigh finished the regular season at 30-18 overall and 14-4 in the Patriot League. Lehigh has won a league-best 15 tournament titles, including the 2022 crown. The Mountain Hawks had six All-Patriot League selections, led by first team selection Emily Cimino.
Forecasted inclement weather has forced schedule and location changes for Thursday's opening day. Day one action will relocate to Boston College Softball Field in Brighton, Mass., with host and No. 1 seed BU facing No. 4 Army at 10 a.m., with No. 2 Lehigh opening tournament action against No. 3 Bucknell 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one. A third game has been added to Thursday's schedule, matching the loser of game one and the loser of game two in an elimination game.
Six Mountain Hawks were selected to the All-Patriot League teams, announced earlier this week following a vote of the league's head coaches. Graduate student Emily Cimino became a three-time all-league honoree and two-time first-teamer with her selection as an outfielder. The other five Mountain Hawks all landed on the second team. Graduate student outfielder Josie Charles and senior pitcher Katelyn Young both became two-time All-Patriot League honorees. Three members of Lehigh's infield, junior Rory Dudley (first base) and first-years Holly Lovett (third base) and Peyton Sward (shortstop) were all recognized for the first time.
Cimino was named Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year for softball on Wednesday. She earned her degree in biology with a 3.73 GPA last May and holds a 3.82 in her health graduate program. Cimino was joined on the Academic All-Patriot League Team by Josie Charles, Brooke Cannon and Amanda Greaney. Cimino is now a three-time Academic All-Patriot League honoree, while Charles and Cannon are two-time honorees. Greaney leads Lehigh with a 3.94 GPA in mechanical engineering,
After starting the season 10-14, the Mountain Hawks got hot upon the start of their home schedule and Patriot League play. Beginning with a March 24 doubleheader sweep of Colgate in the home and Patriot League opener, Lehigh reeled off 17 consecutive victories to move to 27-14, before suffering a 3-1 loss to Army West Point on April 27. The 17-game winning streak included a 12-0 Patriot League start and surpassed the previous school record of 15 games from March 15-April 8, 2015. Lehigh outscored its opponents 113-25 during that 17-game stretch, with the first-year trio of Peyton Sward (.415), Gracie Smith (.368) and Holly Lovett (.340) leading Lehigh at the plate. Six players scored double-digit runs during that stretch led by Josie Charles with 16, while six also had double-digit RBIs, led by Emily Cimino's 18. Lehigh pitchers threw to a 1.13 ERA during that span with Katelyn Young going 9-0 with a 1.23 ERA and 69 strikeouts over 68.1 innings, and Maria Urban allowing just one earned run over 27 innings of work.
Senior Katelyn Young capped an impressive pitching run with her second career no-hitter in a 5-0 blanking of Lafayette on April 20. Young threw 79 pitches, striking out seven and facing one batter over the minimum with the only blemish being a fifth-inning walk. The no-hitter marked the fourth consecutive weekend Young threw a complete game shutout. Young also no-hit Monmouth on March 22, 2023. The no-hitter was Lehigh's 16th since the start of the 2004 season and its first no-hitter during that time frame against rival Lafayette.
A strong first-year class has made key contributions to Lehigh's success during the 2024 campaign. Holly Lovett, Gracie Smith and Peyton Sward have been regulars in Lehigh's lineup, with Sward starting all 48 games at shortstop and Smith starting in 47 split between the outfield and designated player. All three have won Patriot League Rookie of the Week awards, with Lovett leading the way with three, as Lehigh players won six of the 13 during the regular season. Sward leads Lehigh with a .378 batting average. Smith ranks second on the team with 48 hits. Lovett is hitting .324 and ranks third on the team with seven doubles and 24 RBIs.
Lehigh and Bucknell will meet in the Patriot League Tournament for the first time since 2019, when the Mountain Hawks defeated the Bison twice. This year, the Mountain Hawks swept the Bison in early April, with Lehigh out-scoring Bucknell 21-2 over the three games, including a 16-1 win in the series finale.
Bucknell finished the regular season at 18-25 overall and 9-9 in the league. The Bison had four All-Patriot League honorees in pitcher/outfielder Savannah Jones, first base MaKenzie Hilling, pitcher Madison Roukey and catcher Zoie Smith.
Top seed Boston University is ranked 22nd in the NFCA Coaches Poll and enters the postseason at 49-4-1. The Terriers won four of the Patriot League's five major awards with the Player of the Year (Lauren Keleher), Pitcher of the Year (Kasey Ricard), Defensive Player of the Year (Caitlin Coker) and Coach of the Year (Ashley Waters). BU swept Lehigh last weekend winning the three games by a combined four runs.
Army West Point won its series at Colgate 2-1 last weekend to claim the No. 4 seed. The Black Knights are 14-37 overall and 9-9 in the league. Army had a pair of all-league honorees in Kayla Edwards and Ashton White. Lehigh won its series at Army April 27-28 with the Black Knights snapping Lehigh's 17-game winning streak with a 3-1 victory in the series opener, before the Mountain Hawks captured the next two games, 10-2 and 5-3.
The Patriot League tournament gets underway Thursday with the Boston University-Army game at 10 a.m. at Boston College, with Lehigh and Bucknell to follow at approximately 12:30 p.m. Three games are slated for Friday with the winner's bracket game scheduled for 11 a.m. and elimination games scheduled for 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. The championship round featuring game six and, if necessary, game seven is set for noon on Saturday. Friday and Saturday's schedule remains subject to change.
Streaming video of all Patriot League Tournament action will be available on ESPN+.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Thursday May 9 (at Boston College):
Game 1: No. 1 Boston U. vs. No. 4 Army 10 a.m.
Game 2: No. 2 Lehigh vs. No. 3 Army Bucknell, 30 minutes after game one
Game 3: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 30 minutes after game two
Friday May 10 (Location TBD)
Game 4: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, Time TBD
Game 5: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, Time TBD
Saturday May 11 (Location TBD)
Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 12 p.m.
Game 7: Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser, 2:30 p.m.*
* - if necessary
Like Lehigh Softball on Facebook and follow on X/Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.
Forecasted inclement weather has forced schedule and location changes for Thursday's opening day. Day one action will relocate to Boston College Softball Field in Brighton, Mass., with host and No. 1 seed BU facing No. 4 Army at 10 a.m., with No. 2 Lehigh opening tournament action against No. 3 Bucknell 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one. A third game has been added to Thursday's schedule, matching the loser of game one and the loser of game two in an elimination game.
Six Mountain Hawks were selected to the All-Patriot League teams, announced earlier this week following a vote of the league's head coaches. Graduate student Emily Cimino became a three-time all-league honoree and two-time first-teamer with her selection as an outfielder. The other five Mountain Hawks all landed on the second team. Graduate student outfielder Josie Charles and senior pitcher Katelyn Young both became two-time All-Patriot League honorees. Three members of Lehigh's infield, junior Rory Dudley (first base) and first-years Holly Lovett (third base) and Peyton Sward (shortstop) were all recognized for the first time.
Cimino was named Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year for softball on Wednesday. She earned her degree in biology with a 3.73 GPA last May and holds a 3.82 in her health graduate program. Cimino was joined on the Academic All-Patriot League Team by Josie Charles, Brooke Cannon and Amanda Greaney. Cimino is now a three-time Academic All-Patriot League honoree, while Charles and Cannon are two-time honorees. Greaney leads Lehigh with a 3.94 GPA in mechanical engineering,
After starting the season 10-14, the Mountain Hawks got hot upon the start of their home schedule and Patriot League play. Beginning with a March 24 doubleheader sweep of Colgate in the home and Patriot League opener, Lehigh reeled off 17 consecutive victories to move to 27-14, before suffering a 3-1 loss to Army West Point on April 27. The 17-game winning streak included a 12-0 Patriot League start and surpassed the previous school record of 15 games from March 15-April 8, 2015. Lehigh outscored its opponents 113-25 during that 17-game stretch, with the first-year trio of Peyton Sward (.415), Gracie Smith (.368) and Holly Lovett (.340) leading Lehigh at the plate. Six players scored double-digit runs during that stretch led by Josie Charles with 16, while six also had double-digit RBIs, led by Emily Cimino's 18. Lehigh pitchers threw to a 1.13 ERA during that span with Katelyn Young going 9-0 with a 1.23 ERA and 69 strikeouts over 68.1 innings, and Maria Urban allowing just one earned run over 27 innings of work.
Senior Katelyn Young capped an impressive pitching run with her second career no-hitter in a 5-0 blanking of Lafayette on April 20. Young threw 79 pitches, striking out seven and facing one batter over the minimum with the only blemish being a fifth-inning walk. The no-hitter marked the fourth consecutive weekend Young threw a complete game shutout. Young also no-hit Monmouth on March 22, 2023. The no-hitter was Lehigh's 16th since the start of the 2004 season and its first no-hitter during that time frame against rival Lafayette.
A strong first-year class has made key contributions to Lehigh's success during the 2024 campaign. Holly Lovett, Gracie Smith and Peyton Sward have been regulars in Lehigh's lineup, with Sward starting all 48 games at shortstop and Smith starting in 47 split between the outfield and designated player. All three have won Patriot League Rookie of the Week awards, with Lovett leading the way with three, as Lehigh players won six of the 13 during the regular season. Sward leads Lehigh with a .378 batting average. Smith ranks second on the team with 48 hits. Lovett is hitting .324 and ranks third on the team with seven doubles and 24 RBIs.
Lehigh and Bucknell will meet in the Patriot League Tournament for the first time since 2019, when the Mountain Hawks defeated the Bison twice. This year, the Mountain Hawks swept the Bison in early April, with Lehigh out-scoring Bucknell 21-2 over the three games, including a 16-1 win in the series finale.
Bucknell finished the regular season at 18-25 overall and 9-9 in the league. The Bison had four All-Patriot League honorees in pitcher/outfielder Savannah Jones, first base MaKenzie Hilling, pitcher Madison Roukey and catcher Zoie Smith.
Top seed Boston University is ranked 22nd in the NFCA Coaches Poll and enters the postseason at 49-4-1. The Terriers won four of the Patriot League's five major awards with the Player of the Year (Lauren Keleher), Pitcher of the Year (Kasey Ricard), Defensive Player of the Year (Caitlin Coker) and Coach of the Year (Ashley Waters). BU swept Lehigh last weekend winning the three games by a combined four runs.
Army West Point won its series at Colgate 2-1 last weekend to claim the No. 4 seed. The Black Knights are 14-37 overall and 9-9 in the league. Army had a pair of all-league honorees in Kayla Edwards and Ashton White. Lehigh won its series at Army April 27-28 with the Black Knights snapping Lehigh's 17-game winning streak with a 3-1 victory in the series opener, before the Mountain Hawks captured the next two games, 10-2 and 5-3.
The Patriot League tournament gets underway Thursday with the Boston University-Army game at 10 a.m. at Boston College, with Lehigh and Bucknell to follow at approximately 12:30 p.m. Three games are slated for Friday with the winner's bracket game scheduled for 11 a.m. and elimination games scheduled for 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. The championship round featuring game six and, if necessary, game seven is set for noon on Saturday. Friday and Saturday's schedule remains subject to change.
Streaming video of all Patriot League Tournament action will be available on ESPN+.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Thursday May 9 (at Boston College):
Game 1: No. 1 Boston U. vs. No. 4 Army 10 a.m.
Game 2: No. 2 Lehigh vs. No. 3 Army Bucknell, 30 minutes after game one
Game 3: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 30 minutes after game two
Friday May 10 (Location TBD)
Game 4: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, Time TBD
Game 5: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, Time TBD
Saturday May 11 (Location TBD)
Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 12 p.m.
Game 7: Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser, 2:30 p.m.*
* - if necessary
Like Lehigh Softball on Facebook and follow on X/Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.
Players Mentioned
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