April 5, 2008
Box Score -- Game 1 | Box Score -- Game 2
EASTON, Pa. - Lafayette softball earned a decisive 7-2 victory over Lehigh on Saturday afternoon. The Leopards gave the Brown and White their first Patriot League loss of the season and took their first victory over the program in 35 consecutive games. Sophomores Christina Giambrone and Kasey Karr combined for three home runs in the second game of the afternoon at Metzgar Fields.
Lehigh (24-7, 5-1) managed a single hit in the opening inning for the second game off a bunt from Whitney Lowe. The Lafayette defense denied another as senior third baseman Sarah Price made the catch on Lisa Sweeney's foul ball and Giambrone made the play to freshman Kerry Griffin for the final out at first.
Facing a full count, Tiffany Curtis walked Lafayette's lead-off batter junior Robyn Matchett. She was thrown out at second on the following play with freshman Stacey Kushner bunting to reach first.
Giambrone drilled one over the right field fence for her fourth home run of the season, scoring two Lafayette runs to take a 2-0 lead with one out in the first inning.
Lafayette (10-14, 3-3) took hold of a 4-0 advantage in the first inning after Curtis walked senior Kristen Ruckno and Karr followed with her third home run of the season through centerfield. Curtis struck out the final two Leopard batters to get out of the opening frame down four runs.
Karr struck out the first two Mountain Hawk batters and Amy Piccinich ended the second inning grounding out to Karr.
In the top of the fourth, Brooke Lewis hit a grounder to Giambrone who threw it to Ruckno at second and completed the double play with Griffin, getting Lewis out at first for the final out.
Karr led the Leopards off with her second home run of the game to take a 5-0 lead in the fourth inning.
Karr and Giambrone lead Lafayette with four home runs a piece. Giambrone finished last season four homeruns and Karr had one. Both finished the latter half of the twinbill, going 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored.
In the bottom of the fourth, with Price at first and junior Amanda Parker at second, junior Emma Kline bunted to advance each Lafayette player a base. Curtis stuck out Matchett for the final out with the Maroon and White ahead five runs.
Taryn Hanley singled to start the fifth inning for the Mountain Hawks. Kline made the sliding catch in centerfield to take out Piccinich. The junior centerfielder finished the doubleheader with five putouts. Megan Conrad got on base with a single and Hanley reached second. Lauren Eichblatt lined out to Giambrone and with two on and two outs Lehigh's Kate Marvel grounded out to Karr. Lafayette was back up to bat with the 5-0 lead in the fifth inning.
Rookie Briana Gaurner took over in the circle for Curtis in the fifth after Giambrone doubled and Ruckno hit a single through left center. Curtis allowed seven hits, five runs, including three Lafayette homers.
Karr popped up to Lowe, but Griffin followed with a two-run double allowing Giambrone and Ruckno to score for the 7-0 Lafayette advantage. Lehigh's Alisha Gonzales caught freshman Kristin Garganio's fly ball to right field for the last out of the fifth inning.
Karr and the Lafayette defense had shutdown the Mountain Hawks completely until they got on the board with a two-run homer by Gonzales in the sixth. Lewis was out with Kline's catch in center and Parker made the catch on Taryn Hanley's fly ball into left.
Lehigh stalled the Leopards' offensive rush in the sixth inning denying them a hit, but Lafayette entered the top of the seventh with a commanding 7-2 lead.
Lowe came up short with runners on first and third in the seventh inning. Lowe grounded out to Karr for the final out of the 7-2 victory.
Freshman Ali Henry got the nod to start in the first game and began by walking Lehigh's lead-off batter Marvel. Henry struck out the following three to close the first inning.
Conrad bunted to reach first base and registered the Brown and White's first hit of the afternoon in the third inning. Conrad scored Lehigh's lone run of the game off of Lowe's bunt.
Taryn Miller sent one toward the fences in the fourth inning, but Matchett made the critical catch. Henry struck out the first and third batter of the inning as Lehigh went three-up, three-down in the fourth.
Henry made the final play in the top of the fifth throwing Marvel's grounder to Griffin at first for the final out.
With two outs and two on base, Sweeney struck out Karr and the Brown and White took the slim 1-0 decision in the first game.
Lafayette and Lehigh kept the opening game tight as Henry (4-5) limited the Mountain Hawks to just three hits and struck out 11 batters in her 10th start of the season. It was a pitcher's duel as Lisa Sweeney (13-2) finished the game with 13 strike outs and allowed two Leopard hits.
The arch rivals will take to the field tomorrow with the first pitch set for noon at Metzgar Fields.
