Boston University
25-25
Lehigh (PL Semifinals)
33-18
Softball Advances to PL Championship Round with 14-7 Win over Lehigh
May 12, 2017 | Softball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – After Lehigh rallied to grab a one-run lead in the bottom of the fourth, the No. 2-seed Boston University softball team responded with 11 runs off 11 hits to defeat the top-seed Mountain Hawks, 14-7, on Friday afternoon at Leadership Park to advance in the winner's bracket.
Featuring a season-high 17 hits, the defending conference champion Terriers extended their win streak in conference tournaments to 11 games and will face the Mountain Hawks again on Saturday (May 13) for the automatic NCAA berth with first pitch slated for 12 p.m. A second game if necessary would take place approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game. Lehigh reached the Championship Round by eliminating Army, 5-3, Friday evening.
THE RUNDOWN
Final Score: Boston University 14, Lehigh 7
Records: BU (25-25), Lehigh (33-18)
Venue: Leadership Park – Bethlehem, Pa.
Watch Replay: PatriotLeague.tv
WP: Magane (13-10, 2.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 5 BB)
LP: Sorem (11-8, 5.0 IP, 9 H, 7 R/ER, 2 BB)
BU Leaders: Wong (3-5 AB, 5 RBI, 1 R, 1 3B), Schanda (4-5 Ab, 3 RBI, 2 R, 1 3B), Morrow (1-4 AB, 3-RBI 2B), Ponce (3-4 AB, 3 R, 1 RBI)
Lehigh Leaders: Lattanzio (2-3 AB, 4 RBI), Timberman (2-4 AB, 2 R 1 3B), Q. Rabago (2-2 AB, 2 BB, 1 R)
HOW IT HAPPENED
- After senior Moriah Connolly and junior Jilee Schanda led off with back-to-back singles, sophomore Alexa Ponce eventually loaded the bases to set up junior Emma Wong's bases-clearing triple to left to grab a 3-0 lead.
- Senior Makinna Akers pitched two scoreless innings before the Mountain Hawks struck back in the bottom of the third with two runs off four hits.
- Lehigh added two more against freshman Kali Magane in the fourth following a costly error with a clutch two-out, two-RBI single from Vicy Lattanzio.
- The Terriers needed little time to bounce back, as Schanda led off the fifth with a triple and then scored on sophomore Alex Heinen's one-out sacrifice fly.
- Ponce and Wong kept the inning alive with back-to-back singles, and junior Kaitlin Sahlinger then loaded the bases on a walk ... Sophomore Emily Morrow brought them all home by crushing the first pitch to right center for a 7-4 lead.
- BU then added seven more runs off seven hits and an error in the sixth with both Wong and Schanda delivering two-RBI singles to push the lead to 14-4.
- The Mountain Hawks avoided the run-rule effect with three runs in the bottom half, but Akers retired the side in the seventh to seal the 14-7 victory.
- The Terriers scored 14 runs against Lehigh after being held to a combined 10 runs over three losses to the Mountain Hawks back in March in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
- Wong recorded three hits in a game for the sixth time in her career and finished with a career-high five RBIs.
- Morrow also reached a career high in RBIs with three thanks to her double in the fifth.
- Ponce matched her personal best with three hits.
- Connolly tied the Patriot League record for stolen bases in a season at 40.
- The Terriers will seek their third PL title in four years on Saturday (May 13) against Lehigh at 12 p.m. ... A second game if necessary would follow afterwards.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Magane, Kali (13-10)
L: Sorem, Emily (11-8)
Batting:
2B: Morrow, Emily 1
3B: Schanda, Jilee 1 ; Wong, Emma 1
RBI: Schanda, Jilee 3 ; Heinen, Alex 1 ; Ponce, Alexa 1 ; Wong, Emma 5 ; Morrow, Emily 3
SF: Heinen, Alex 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Connolly, Moriah 2 ; Schanda, Jilee 2 ; Martinez, Gabi 1 ; Heinen, Alex 2 ; Ponce, Alexa 3 ; Wong, Emma 1 ; Sahlinger, Kaitlin 2 ; Morrow, Emily 1
SB: Connolly, Moriah 1 ; Ponce, Alexa 1 ; Wong, Emma 1 ; Levine, Rachel 1
Batting:
3B: Timberman, Rachel 1
RBI: Smith, Mary-Hannah 1 ; Lattanzio, Vicky 4 ; Q. Rabago, Ashley 1 ; Schultz, Katie 1
SH: Yozzo, Nicole 1
SF: Lattanzio, Vicky 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Yozzo, Nicole 2 ; Cole, Ashley 2 ; Smith, Mary-Hannah 1 ; Timberman, Rachel 2
SB: Yozzo, Nicole 1 ; Q. Rabago, Ashley 1
CS: Q. Rabago, Ashley 1
