Saturday, May 10
West Point, N.Y.
Lehigh University
28-24
3
vs
5
Bucknell
18-29
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Bucknell
1
3
0
0
0
0
1
5
8
1
Lehigh
0
0
0
0
0
1
2
3
3
4
Lehigh's Season Ends With 5-3 Loss To Bucknell In PLT
5/10/2025 5:48:00 PM | Softball
WEST POINT, N.Y. – Lehigh's 2025 season came to an end with a 5-3 loss to Bucknell at the Patriot League Tournament at the Army Softball Complex. An uncharacteristically tough day in the field saw the Mountain Hawks commit four errors, three of which led to Bison runs as Bucknell led 4-0 in the second inning. Lehigh rallied in the seventh inning getting the tying run to the plate with two outs but was unable to get any closer.
Â
The Mountain Hawks' season comes to an end at 28-24.
Â
After dropping a 1-0 pitcher's duel to Boston University in the completion of the suspended opening round game, Lehigh fell behind 1-0 against the Bison in the first inning when a leadoff error came around to score on a Brooke Popella two-out RBI single. The Bison added three more runs in the second, two of which were unearned, on a bases-loaded walk to Ava Aguilar, a Savannah Jones sacrifice fly and then a throwing error after a fielder's choice.
Â
Jones' changeup kept Lehigh off balance at the plate, with the Mountain Hawks registering just one hit, a second-inning single by sophomore Holly Lovett through the first six innings.
Â
Lehigh left three runners on base, but was stymied through the middle three innings. Senior Julia Mrochko struck out to begin the sixth but reached first base on a passed ball. She eventually scored Lehigh's first run of the day when senior Maddy Schmeiser reached on a fielder's choice.
Â
Makenzie Hilling's solo home run with two outs in the seventh re-established a four-run lead for the Bison.
Â
Lovett was hit by a pitch with one out in the bottom of the seventh. Two batters later first-year Kelly Fricker brought pinch runner Crysta Duenas home with an RBI double to right. The hit was the 79th of the year for Fricker, tying her with Carley Barjaktarovich '23 for Lehigh's single season hit record. Mrochko followed with a single up the middle, scoring Fricker to make it 5-3, but Jones got senior Rory Dudley to foul out to first base to end the game.
"The tournament was to be won in that first game," said Lehigh head coach Fran Troyan. "We made one pitch that was hit out of the park, but that was a game that was there for the taking. In our sport, sometimes it happens. (Jones) threw a great game. Our kryptonite all season had been the changeup and she had a very effective one. We didn't hit well and I can't remember the last time we made four errors in a game. It was just one of those games where none of the facets went in our direction. Sometimes that happens. We'll just have to learn from it and grow from it. We have a good nucleus of players coming back and talented kids coming in. We have to build on the culture of the program right now."
Â
Jones struck out four and walked three for the Bison, while limiting Lehigh to just three hits.
Â
First-year Madison Finnerty started for Lehigh in the circle and allowed four runs (three earned) on three hits, with two walks and a strikeouts. Sophomore Maddy Clark allowed a run and a walk over 1.1 innings of relief before giving way to junior Chloe Hess, who kept the Mountain Hawks in the game with 4.2 innings of strong relief. Hess allowed the home run to Hilling, but otherwise allowed just three hits, while striking out three.
Â
Lehigh loses five seniors to graduation: Dudley, Mrochko, Schmeiser, Lindsey Martin and Maria Urban.
Â
"We started out incredibly slowly and our seniors did a great job of helping us right the ship," Troyan said. "They put us in a position where everybody within the program really felt like we were going to win the Patriot League Championship."
Â
Follow Lehigh Softball on X/Twitter and Instagram and like on Facebook for exclusive updates throughout the season.
Â
Â
The Mountain Hawks' season comes to an end at 28-24.
Â
After dropping a 1-0 pitcher's duel to Boston University in the completion of the suspended opening round game, Lehigh fell behind 1-0 against the Bison in the first inning when a leadoff error came around to score on a Brooke Popella two-out RBI single. The Bison added three more runs in the second, two of which were unearned, on a bases-loaded walk to Ava Aguilar, a Savannah Jones sacrifice fly and then a throwing error after a fielder's choice.
Â
Jones' changeup kept Lehigh off balance at the plate, with the Mountain Hawks registering just one hit, a second-inning single by sophomore Holly Lovett through the first six innings.
Â
Lehigh left three runners on base, but was stymied through the middle three innings. Senior Julia Mrochko struck out to begin the sixth but reached first base on a passed ball. She eventually scored Lehigh's first run of the day when senior Maddy Schmeiser reached on a fielder's choice.
Â
Makenzie Hilling's solo home run with two outs in the seventh re-established a four-run lead for the Bison.
Â
Lovett was hit by a pitch with one out in the bottom of the seventh. Two batters later first-year Kelly Fricker brought pinch runner Crysta Duenas home with an RBI double to right. The hit was the 79th of the year for Fricker, tying her with Carley Barjaktarovich '23 for Lehigh's single season hit record. Mrochko followed with a single up the middle, scoring Fricker to make it 5-3, but Jones got senior Rory Dudley to foul out to first base to end the game.
ÂThe record-tying double 👇 pic.twitter.com/OiHtGw5tuM
— Lehigh Softball (@Lehighsoftball) May 10, 2025
"The tournament was to be won in that first game," said Lehigh head coach Fran Troyan. "We made one pitch that was hit out of the park, but that was a game that was there for the taking. In our sport, sometimes it happens. (Jones) threw a great game. Our kryptonite all season had been the changeup and she had a very effective one. We didn't hit well and I can't remember the last time we made four errors in a game. It was just one of those games where none of the facets went in our direction. Sometimes that happens. We'll just have to learn from it and grow from it. We have a good nucleus of players coming back and talented kids coming in. We have to build on the culture of the program right now."
Â
Jones struck out four and walked three for the Bison, while limiting Lehigh to just three hits.
Â
First-year Madison Finnerty started for Lehigh in the circle and allowed four runs (three earned) on three hits, with two walks and a strikeouts. Sophomore Maddy Clark allowed a run and a walk over 1.1 innings of relief before giving way to junior Chloe Hess, who kept the Mountain Hawks in the game with 4.2 innings of strong relief. Hess allowed the home run to Hilling, but otherwise allowed just three hits, while striking out three.
Â
Lehigh loses five seniors to graduation: Dudley, Mrochko, Schmeiser, Lindsey Martin and Maria Urban.
Â
"We started out incredibly slowly and our seniors did a great job of helping us right the ship," Troyan said. "They put us in a position where everybody within the program really felt like we were going to win the Patriot League Championship."
Â
Follow Lehigh Softball on X/Twitter and Instagram and like on Facebook for exclusive updates throughout the season.
Â
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Savannah Jones (9-9)
L: Finnerty, Madison (14-8)
Batting:
2B: Molly Lawson 1
HR: MaKenzie Hilling 1
RBI: Ava Aguilar 1 ; Savannah Jones 1 ; Brooke Popella 1 ; MaKenzie Hilling 1
SH: Ava Aguilar 1
SF: Savannah Jones 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Haley Speicher 2 ; MaKenzie Hilling 1 ; Nicole Lioumis 1 ; Bella Radican 1
Batting:
2B: Fricker, Kelly 1
RBI: Fricker, Kelly 1 ; Mrochko, Julia 1 ; Schmeiser, Maddy 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Fricker, Kelly 1 ; Mrochko, Julia 1 ; Duenas, Crysta 1
HBP: Lovett, Holly 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
P/IF
/ SoftballC/UT
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballIF/OF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballIF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballIF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballLehigh Sports Central: Softball
Wednesday, April 30
2025 Season Preview: Softball
Thursday, February 06
Lehigh Sports Central: Softball
Wednesday, April 17
