May 8, 2009

Bethlehem, Pa.--Lehigh remained undefeated in the 2009 Patriot League Tournament, while Lafayette won two games on Friday, setting up a championship showdown between the rivals. Saturday's championship round will begin an hour earlier than scheduled at 11:00 a.m. due to possible thunderstorms. With one win, Lehigh would claim its fifth title in six years. To win its first Patriot League title, Lafayette needs to win twice on Saturday. It marks the second straight season the teams have met in the championship round. The Leopards and Mountain Hawks met in the opening round of the tournament, with Lehigh winning 1-0. The Mountain Hawks have won all five meetings between the schools this season.

Game 3: Lehigh 6, Bucknell 2

Patriot League Pitcher of the Year Lisa Sweeney fanned six batters and did not allow a run until the sixth inning, helping Lehigh (35-16-1) move into the championship round with a 6-2 victory over Bucknell. With the win, the Mountain Hawks improved to 2-0 in the 2009 Patriot League Tournament. Sweeney helped her own cause by going 3-for-3 at the plate with three RBI.

Lehigh plated single runs in the first and second innings before adding two more in the fourth. Bucknell second baseman Kristin Frick pulled the Bison within two in the bottom of the fifth, slamming a two-run triple off the left field fence. Lehigh answered back in the top of the sixth, as senior designated player Alisha Gonzales singled to right center to drive in two runs.

With the win, Sweeney improved to 21-8 on the season. She has allowed just two runs in 14 innings of work in the 2009 Patriot League Tournament. Katie McDonald started the game and went 5.2 innings for Bucknell. She allowed four earned runs and took the loss to fall to 9-12. Bucknell was led at the plate by Frick and Cassie Lloyd. Frick finished 1-for-3 with two RBI, while Lloyd was 2-for-3.

Game 4: Lafayette 8, Colgate 5

Colgate (25-18) scored the first five runs, but Lafayette scored eight straight to claim an 8-5 victory and stay alive in the Patriot League Tournament. With the loss, Colgate was eliminated.

Colgate pounded out eight hits in the first two innings, helping the Raiders stake an early 5-0 advantage. After scoring one run in the first, Colgate exploded for four runs in the second inning. The Raiders got five hits in the second frame, including four straight.

Lafayette came alive in the bottom of the third inning, plating four runs to pull within one. The big blow came on a two-run triple by Patriot League Player of the Year Christina Giambrone. Second baseman Stacey Kushner followed with an RBI double. Stacey Dorn added an RBI double with two outs in the inning.

The Leopards took their first lead in the following inning, scoring two runs in the fourth. Lafayette plated a run on a fielder's choice and another on a sacrifice fly by Kushner. The Leopards added two more runs in the sixth inning for insurance.

Junior Kasey Karr pitched 5.1 innings of scoreless relief to pick up the victory. Colgate's Jesse McCarrick allowed four runs, two earned, in three innings to fall to 11-6. Giambrone and Kushner drove in two runs apiece for Lafayette, while Kerry Griffin was 2-for-4 with one RBI. Colgate was led by catcher Erin Gomez, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI.

Game 5: Lafayette 4, Bucknell 1

Lafayette scored four runs in the fourth inning and did not allow a run until the seventh inning en route to a 4-1 victory over Bucknell. The Leopards became the first team since Army in 2006 to advance to the championship round as the No. 4 seed.

Junior pitcher Kasey Karr tossed a complete game to improve to 10-14 on the season and 2-1 in the 2009 Patriot League Tournament. She allowed an unearned run while striking out seven batters and limiting Bucknell to four hits. She has not allowed an earned run through Lafayette's first three games of the tournament.

The Leopards put together three singles and were aided by two Bucknell errors in the decisive fourth inning. After the third inning, Lafayette was unable to get a hit the rest of the way.

Four runs were enough for Karr, however, as she kept the Bison at bay through the first six innings. Bucknell mounted a threat in the bottom of the seventh inning. After two singles, pinch runner Brittany Schlorff scored on Lafayette's fourth error of the game. Bucknell loaded the bases with two outs, but Karr induced a ground out to end the contest.

2009 Patriot League Tournament

Thursday, May 7

Game 1: No. 1 Lehigh 1, No. 4 Lafayette 0

Game 2: No. 3 Bucknell 7, No. 2 Colgate 3

Friday, May 8

Game 3: Lehigh 6, Bucknell 2

Game 4: Lafayette 8, Colgate 5

Game 5: Lafayette 4, Bucknell 1

Saturday, May 9

Game 6: Lafayette at Lehigh, 11:00 a.m.

Game 7: Lafayette at Lehigh, 1:30 p.m. (if necessary)