Saturday, February 22
Charlotte, N.C.
10:00 AM
Lehigh University
1-7
4
vs
15
Ball State
6-1
1
2
3
4
5
R
H
E
Ball State
0
0
6
9
0
15
13
0
Lehigh
1
2
0
0
1
4
5
1
Photo by: Holly Fasching
Lehigh Caps Day Two In Charlotte With Run-Rule Win Over UAlbany
2/22/2025 3:46:00 PM | Softball
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Day two of the Charlotte Invitational saw Lehigh play a pair of five-inning, run-rule games. The Mountain Hawks bounced back from a 15-4 loss to Ball State by defeating UAlbany 11-3 Saturday at Sue M. Daughtridge Stadium. Trailing the Great Danes 2-0, Lehigh scored five runs in the second inning and added four in the fourth before putting the game away with a two-run fifth.
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Junior Julia Mrochko totaled three hits over Saturday's two games, highlighted by a three-run home run against UAlbany. Senior Rory Dudley also drove in three runs against the Great Danes as Lehigh moves to 2-7 on the season.
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In Lehigh's second game of the day, UAlbany (0-3) scored single runs in each of the first two innings to take a 2-0 lead. Making her first career start in center field, first-year Lizzie Kern singled home two runs to tie the game in the bottom of the second and then scored the go-ahead run when sophomore Peyton Sward reached on an error. Bases loaded walks to Dudley and junior Sydney Parlett gave Lehigh a 5-2 lead after two innings of play.
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The Great Danes pulled a run back in the third before Lehigh took control with a four-run fourth, with all four runs coming with two outs. Sophomore Gracie Smith singled and then came around to score on a double by Dudley. After Parlett reached on an error, Mrochko drilled her first home run of the season to put the Mountain Hawks up 9-3.
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In the fifth, first-year Kelly Fricker doubled home Kern and then scored the game-ending run when Dudley singled up the middle with the bases loaded.
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Fricker went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Dudley and Mrochko both had two hits and three RBIs.
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In the circle, first-year Madison Finnerty earned her second win of the season, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits over five innings with six walks and two strikeouts.
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Lehigh's first game Saturday saw the Mountain Hawks take an early 3-0 lead, only to be done in by a six-run third inning and a nine-run fourth.
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Smith singled home Fricker in the first inning and then in the second, the Mountain Hawks plated two more runs on a Fricker RBI ground out and a Sward triple.
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Ball State (6-1) capitalized on a Lehigh error to score six two-out runs in the third to take the lead. Maddie Weaver had a three-run double in the frame while Gabbie Evans added a two-run home run.
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The fourth inning saw Ball State score nine runs on eight hits (all singles) plus four walks. Lehigh pulled one run back in the bottom of the fifth when sophomore Holly Lovett doubled home junior Crysta Duenas.
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Junior Chloe Hess started in the circle and allowed nine runs (three earned) on eight hits in 3.1 innings. Senior Maria Urban and sophomore Maddy Clark also saw action in the circle for the Mountain Hawks.
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Weaver led Ball State with five RBIs, while Sward had two of Lehigh's five hits in the opener.
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The Mountain Hawks will close out the Charlotte Invitational Sunday against the host 49ers at 12:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
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Follow Lehigh Softball on X/Twitter and Instagram and like on Facebook for exclusive updates throughout the season.
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Junior Julia Mrochko totaled three hits over Saturday's two games, highlighted by a three-run home run against UAlbany. Senior Rory Dudley also drove in three runs against the Great Danes as Lehigh moves to 2-7 on the season.
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In Lehigh's second game of the day, UAlbany (0-3) scored single runs in each of the first two innings to take a 2-0 lead. Making her first career start in center field, first-year Lizzie Kern singled home two runs to tie the game in the bottom of the second and then scored the go-ahead run when sophomore Peyton Sward reached on an error. Bases loaded walks to Dudley and junior Sydney Parlett gave Lehigh a 5-2 lead after two innings of play.
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The Great Danes pulled a run back in the third before Lehigh took control with a four-run fourth, with all four runs coming with two outs. Sophomore Gracie Smith singled and then came around to score on a double by Dudley. After Parlett reached on an error, Mrochko drilled her first home run of the season to put the Mountain Hawks up 9-3.
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In the fifth, first-year Kelly Fricker doubled home Kern and then scored the game-ending run when Dudley singled up the middle with the bases loaded.
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Fricker went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Dudley and Mrochko both had two hits and three RBIs.
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In the circle, first-year Madison Finnerty earned her second win of the season, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits over five innings with six walks and two strikeouts.
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Lehigh's first game Saturday saw the Mountain Hawks take an early 3-0 lead, only to be done in by a six-run third inning and a nine-run fourth.
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Smith singled home Fricker in the first inning and then in the second, the Mountain Hawks plated two more runs on a Fricker RBI ground out and a Sward triple.
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Ball State (6-1) capitalized on a Lehigh error to score six two-out runs in the third to take the lead. Maddie Weaver had a three-run double in the frame while Gabbie Evans added a two-run home run.
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The fourth inning saw Ball State score nine runs on eight hits (all singles) plus four walks. Lehigh pulled one run back in the bottom of the fifth when sophomore Holly Lovett doubled home junior Crysta Duenas.
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Junior Chloe Hess started in the circle and allowed nine runs (three earned) on eight hits in 3.1 innings. Senior Maria Urban and sophomore Maddy Clark also saw action in the circle for the Mountain Hawks.
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Weaver led Ball State with five RBIs, while Sward had two of Lehigh's five hits in the opener.
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The Mountain Hawks will close out the Charlotte Invitational Sunday against the host 49ers at 12:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
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Follow Lehigh Softball on X/Twitter and Instagram and like on Facebook for exclusive updates throughout the season.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: KITA (1-1)
L: Hess, Chloe (0-3)
Batting:
2B: WEAVER 1
HR: EVANS 1
RBI: PIETRZAK 1 ; TIMMONS 2 ; WHITNEY 2 ; WEAVER 5 ; EVANS 2 ; HOFFMAN 1 ; URBAN 1
Base Running:
RUNS: GUNTER 3 ; PIETRZAK 1 ; TIMMONS 1 ; WHITNEY 1 ; PEITERSEN 1 ; MULHOLLAND 2 ; WEAVER 1 ; FOX 1 ; EVANS 1 ; NOBLE 1 ; URBAN 2
HBP: MULHOLLAND 1 ; URBAN 1
Batting:
2B: Lovett, Holly 1
3B: Sward, Peyton 1
RBI: Fricker, Kelly 1 ; Sward, Peyton 1 ; Smith, Gracie 1 ; Lovett, Holly 1
SH: Woloshyn, Helen 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Fricker, Kelly 1 ; Duenas, Crysta 1 ; Kern, Lizzie 1 ; Tabaka, Abbey 1
SB: Fricker, Kelly 1
HBP: Dudley, Rory 1 ; Lovett, Holly 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
rf/cf
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
P/IF
/ Softball
C/UT
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
IF/OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballIF
/ SoftballIF
/ Softball
UT
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballIF
/ Softball
P
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