Friday, February 26
Greensboro, N.C.
11:00:00 AM
Lehigh University
1-0
12
vs
4
Youngstown State
2-2
1
2
3
4
5
6
R
H
E
Youngstown State
0
4
0
0
0
0
4
5
2
Lehigh
2
4
0
4
0
2
12
9
1
Lehigh takes two on opening day of softball season at UNCG Invitational
2/26/2016 5:12:00 PM | Softball
UNCG Invitational Home
GREENSBORO, N.C. – On its opening day of the 2016 the Lehigh softball team received a pair of strong pitching performances and a boatload of offense in two wins Friday on the opening day of the UNCG Invitational. Lehigh posted crooked numbers in four innings, and scored ten unanswered runs in a 12-4 win over Youngstown State in its first game of the day. The Mountain Hawks struggled with runners in scoring position in game two but used a seven-run ninth inning to defeat Iona 8-2.
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The Lehigh offense produced 21 hits to go along with 20 runs while both Lehigh pitchers posted double digit strikeouts.
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Senior Morgan Decker led the way for the Mountain Hawks, going 4-for-7 with a home run and eight RBIs over the two games. The 2-3-4 hitters in Lehigh's batting order: senior Alexis Watanabe, Decker and junior Vicky Lattanzio combined to go 10-for-19 with nine runs scored and 13 driven in.
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Against Youngstown State (2-2), Lehigh took a 2-0 lead after one inning. The first four Mountain Hawk hitters reached base as sophomore Nicole Yozzo reached on an error and stole second and then moved to third on a Watanabe infield single. Watanabe stole second to put runners on second and third. Decker fouled out to right field with Yozzo scoring Lehigh's first run on the sacrifice fly and then Lattanzio singled through the left side to bring home Watanabe.
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Junior Christine Campbell ran into her only trouble in the top of the second after issuing a leadoff walk and a double before Maria Lacatena hit a three run home run to right field to give the Penguins a 3-2 lead. A bases-loaded walk plated a fourth, unearned run putting the Mountain Hawks down two after an inning and a half.
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Lehigh answered with four runs of its own in the home second inning. Watanabe brought home sophomore Katie Schultz and senior MacKenzie Velasquez with the tying runs with a two-out single up the middle. Decker then plated Watanabe with the go-ahead run on a double down the right field line and Lattanzio followed with an opposite-field double down the left field line as Lehigh took a 6-4 lead after two.
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Two innings later, Lehigh put four more runs on the board to up its lead to 10-4. With one out, Decker drilled a three-run home run to right field, the 23rd of her career, to put the Mountain Hawks up 9-4. Lehigh added another run when Schultz drew a bases loaded walk.
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The Mountain Hawks ended the game with two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. With runners on first and second and one out, sophomore Lindsay Phillips delivered a pinch hit RBI double down the left field line that scored Lattanzio. Schultz then reached on a fielder's choice, allowing senior Jessica Calvini to score the game-ending run.
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Campbell allowed just two baserunners after the ill-fated second inning, finishing with a line of four runs (three earned) on five hits in six innings. She walked four and established a new career high with 10 strikeouts.
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Paige Geanangel took the loss for Youngstown State, allowing six earned runs on seven hits in three-plus innings. Velasquez joined Watanabe, Decker and Lattanzio in recording two hits.
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The designated visiting team in its second game of the day against Iona, it looked like Lehigh's offense would pick up where it left off against Youngstown State. Five of the first six batters reached base in the top of the first inning with Lattanzio singling home Yozzo, but Lehigh left the bases loaded.
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Freshman Emily Sorem worked around two one-out singles in her Lehigh debut inning but Iona was able to tie the game with an unearned run in the bottom of the third. Marisa Gergel started a two out rally with a double and then scored the tying run after a Lehigh error following a Katie Newton single to right.
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Sorem went on to retire 10 of the next 11 batters she faced with the only blemish her own fielding error.
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Offensively, Lehigh had runners on base in every inning from the third through the seventh but could not score, coming closest when sophomore Carolyn Wright was thrown out at the plate trying to score from second on a Velasquez single to right.
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Sarah Schutz led off the bottom of the seventh with a double to right center to put the winning run aboard for Iona, but Sorem struck out the side to send the game to extra innings.
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With the international tiebreaker (every half inning begins with a runner on second base) in play, both teams got their runner to third but no further in the eighth inning.
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The ninth inning began with sophomore Rachel Timberman on second. Freshman Ashley Quidolit moved Timberman to third on a bunt single and Velasquez brought home the go-ahead run with a single to left center. Three batters later, Decker came up with the bases loaded and one out and capped her day with a three-run double to center. After a hit batter and a pop out, Wright came up with two on and belted her first career home run to left field, giving Lehigh an 8-1 advantage.
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Iona (0-1) got a run back on a Schutz RBI single in the bottom of the ninth before Sorem closed the door on the complete game win. The freshman from Oregon finished with a line of two unearned runs on six hits in nine innings. She fanned 13 Gaels while issuing just one walk.
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Carly Argyle took the loss for Iona allowing six runs (five earned) in 8.1 innings. Wright led Lehigh with three hits against the Gaels, while Decker and Velasquez each added two.
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The Mountain Hawks continue action at the UNCG Invitational on Saturday when they face Youngstown State at noon and host UNC-Greensboro at 5 p.m. at the UNCG Softball Stadium.
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GREENSBORO, N.C. – On its opening day of the 2016 the Lehigh softball team received a pair of strong pitching performances and a boatload of offense in two wins Friday on the opening day of the UNCG Invitational. Lehigh posted crooked numbers in four innings, and scored ten unanswered runs in a 12-4 win over Youngstown State in its first game of the day. The Mountain Hawks struggled with runners in scoring position in game two but used a seven-run ninth inning to defeat Iona 8-2.
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The Lehigh offense produced 21 hits to go along with 20 runs while both Lehigh pitchers posted double digit strikeouts.
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Senior Morgan Decker led the way for the Mountain Hawks, going 4-for-7 with a home run and eight RBIs over the two games. The 2-3-4 hitters in Lehigh's batting order: senior Alexis Watanabe, Decker and junior Vicky Lattanzio combined to go 10-for-19 with nine runs scored and 13 driven in.
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Against Youngstown State (2-2), Lehigh took a 2-0 lead after one inning. The first four Mountain Hawk hitters reached base as sophomore Nicole Yozzo reached on an error and stole second and then moved to third on a Watanabe infield single. Watanabe stole second to put runners on second and third. Decker fouled out to right field with Yozzo scoring Lehigh's first run on the sacrifice fly and then Lattanzio singled through the left side to bring home Watanabe.
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Junior Christine Campbell ran into her only trouble in the top of the second after issuing a leadoff walk and a double before Maria Lacatena hit a three run home run to right field to give the Penguins a 3-2 lead. A bases-loaded walk plated a fourth, unearned run putting the Mountain Hawks down two after an inning and a half.
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Lehigh answered with four runs of its own in the home second inning. Watanabe brought home sophomore Katie Schultz and senior MacKenzie Velasquez with the tying runs with a two-out single up the middle. Decker then plated Watanabe with the go-ahead run on a double down the right field line and Lattanzio followed with an opposite-field double down the left field line as Lehigh took a 6-4 lead after two.
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Two innings later, Lehigh put four more runs on the board to up its lead to 10-4. With one out, Decker drilled a three-run home run to right field, the 23rd of her career, to put the Mountain Hawks up 9-4. Lehigh added another run when Schultz drew a bases loaded walk.
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The Mountain Hawks ended the game with two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. With runners on first and second and one out, sophomore Lindsay Phillips delivered a pinch hit RBI double down the left field line that scored Lattanzio. Schultz then reached on a fielder's choice, allowing senior Jessica Calvini to score the game-ending run.
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Campbell allowed just two baserunners after the ill-fated second inning, finishing with a line of four runs (three earned) on five hits in six innings. She walked four and established a new career high with 10 strikeouts.
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Paige Geanangel took the loss for Youngstown State, allowing six earned runs on seven hits in three-plus innings. Velasquez joined Watanabe, Decker and Lattanzio in recording two hits.
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The designated visiting team in its second game of the day against Iona, it looked like Lehigh's offense would pick up where it left off against Youngstown State. Five of the first six batters reached base in the top of the first inning with Lattanzio singling home Yozzo, but Lehigh left the bases loaded.
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Freshman Emily Sorem worked around two one-out singles in her Lehigh debut inning but Iona was able to tie the game with an unearned run in the bottom of the third. Marisa Gergel started a two out rally with a double and then scored the tying run after a Lehigh error following a Katie Newton single to right.
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Sorem went on to retire 10 of the next 11 batters she faced with the only blemish her own fielding error.
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Offensively, Lehigh had runners on base in every inning from the third through the seventh but could not score, coming closest when sophomore Carolyn Wright was thrown out at the plate trying to score from second on a Velasquez single to right.
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Sarah Schutz led off the bottom of the seventh with a double to right center to put the winning run aboard for Iona, but Sorem struck out the side to send the game to extra innings.
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With the international tiebreaker (every half inning begins with a runner on second base) in play, both teams got their runner to third but no further in the eighth inning.
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The ninth inning began with sophomore Rachel Timberman on second. Freshman Ashley Quidolit moved Timberman to third on a bunt single and Velasquez brought home the go-ahead run with a single to left center. Three batters later, Decker came up with the bases loaded and one out and capped her day with a three-run double to center. After a hit batter and a pop out, Wright came up with two on and belted her first career home run to left field, giving Lehigh an 8-1 advantage.
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Iona (0-1) got a run back on a Schutz RBI single in the bottom of the ninth before Sorem closed the door on the complete game win. The freshman from Oregon finished with a line of two unearned runs on six hits in nine innings. She fanned 13 Gaels while issuing just one walk.
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Carly Argyle took the loss for Iona allowing six runs (five earned) in 8.1 innings. Wright led Lehigh with three hits against the Gaels, while Decker and Velasquez each added two.
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The Mountain Hawks continue action at the UNCG Invitational on Saturday when they face Youngstown State at noon and host UNC-Greensboro at 5 p.m. at the UNCG Softball Stadium.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Campbell, Christine (1-0)
L: Geanangel (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Gibson 1
HR: Lacatena 1
RBI: Castiglione 1 ; Lacatena 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Mikovich 1 ; Gibson 1 ; Lacatena 1 ; Macey 1
CS: Castiglione 1
Batting:
2B: Decker, Morgan 1 ; Lattanzio, Vicky 1 ; Phillips, Lindsay 1
HR: Decker, Morgan 1
RBI: Watanabe, Alexis 2 ; Decker, Morgan 5 ; Lattanzio, Vicky 2 ; Phillips, Lindsay 1 ; Schultz, Katie 2
SH: Yozzo, Nicole 1
SF: Decker, Morgan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Yozzo, Nicole 2 ; Watanabe, Alexis 2 ; Decker, Morgan 2 ; Lattanzio, Vicky 2 ; Calvini, Jessica 1 ; Schultz, Katie 1 ; Velasquez, MacKenzie 2
SB: Yozzo, Nicole 1 ; Watanabe, Alexis 1
HBP: Schultz, Katie 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
5
AB
2
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
IF/OF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballIF
/ SoftballUT
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
IF
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballIF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
OF
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