Wednesday, April 27
Boston, Mass.
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Boston University
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Schultz's eighth-inning heroics lead Lehigh to split at Boston U.
4/27/2016 5:52:00 PM | Softball
BOSTON – A two-out two-run single by sophomore Katie Schultz in the top of the eighth inning lifted the Lehigh softball team to a 4-2 victory over Boston University in the second game of a doubleheader Wednesday at the BU Softball Field. Freshman Emily Sorem struck out the side around a one-out single in the bottom of the inning, closing out a crucial win for the Mountain Hawks, who dropped the opener 2-0 thanks to a Melanie Russell two-hit shutout for the Terriers.
Seniors Alexis Watanabe, Morgan Decker and Jessica Calvini and junior Vicky Lattanzio each registered two hits in the nightcap to lead Lehigh as the Mountain Hawks move to 31-12 overall and 9-2 in the Patriot League. BU now stands at 20-21 overall and 6-5 in the league.
Schultz's clutch hit provided the only damage done by anyone against Russell in the last week. The Patriot League and NFCA National Pitcher of the Week, Russell threw 22.2 scoreless innings across five games and then added seven more to that total in game one. Russell's scoreless streak reached 34 with 4.1 scoreless frames in the nightcap before Schultz's tiebreaking hit.
Lehigh's eighth inning rally began with consecutive singles from Lattanzio and Calvini. A sacrifice bunt by sophomore Carolyn Wright moved the runners into scoring position. Russell retired sophomore Rachel Timberman on a fly out that was not deep enough to score a run, before Schultz laced an 0-2 pitch into center field to score the go-ahead runs.
Sorem gave up a one-out infield single to Emma Wong in the bottom of the frame but struck out Alex Heinen and Kaitlin Sahlinger to end the game. The freshman finished with a line of two runs (one earned) on nine hits in eight innings. Sorem struck out six and did not walk a batter as she improves to 13-5.
The Mountain Hawks initially went in front 2-0 in the top of the fourth inning against BU starter Lauren Hynes. Decker singled to right with one out and pinch runner Brianna Gerhardt scored from first on a double to right center by Lattanzio. Calvini followed with a RBI single up the middle, scoring pinch runner Ashley Cole with Lehigh's second run.
Boston University pulled even with two runs in the home fifth inning. A pair of singles sandwiched around a sacrifice and an error loaded the bases. Brittany Younan's RBI single brought home the first run. Sorem then got two outs on ground balls to second with Watanabe getting force plays at home plate. A wild pitch on an 0-2 count allowed Younan to score the tying run before Sorem struck out Gabi Martinez to keep the game tied.
Russell took the loss in game two allowing two runs on five hits in 4.2 innings with two strikeouts and a walk. The Terrier senior was the story in game one as she blanked the Mountain Hawks behind 11 strikeouts. Lehigh's only hits of the game were a leadoff double by Watanabe in the first inning and a two-out double by Timberman in the second. Russell also issued a walk and hit a batter, but retired the final 12 Mountain Hawks.
BU pushed a run across in the second on an Emily Morrow RBI fielder's choice that scored Wong with the bases loaded. Junior Christine Campbell kept BU's lead at 1-0 until the sixth when Wong reached on a two-out infield single and then came around to score on a double to right by Heinen.
Campbell took the loss (17-7) allowing the two runs on seven hits with four strikeouts.
The Mountain Hawks will next head to Bucknell for a three-game weekend series against the Bison. The teams will play a doubleheader Saturday beginning at noon followed by a single game Sunday also beginning at noon.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Russell (8-7)
L: Campbell, Christine (17-7)
Batting:
2B: Watanabe, Alexis 1 ; Timberman, Rachel 1
SH: Velasquez, MacKenzie 2
Base Running:
HBP: Lattanzio, Vicky 1
Batting:
2B: Heinen 1
RBI: Heinen 1 ; Morrow 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Wong 2
HBP: Ponce 1
Game Leaders
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
1
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
IF/OF
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C/UT
/ Softball
UT
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/ SoftballIF
/ SoftballIF
/ Softball
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