BETHLEHEM, PA – The 51³Ô¹ÏÍø softball team (32-14) dropped a Patriot League doubleheader to Lehigh University (36-14-2) Saturday at Kaufman Field, 6-0 and 3-2.
Highlighting the day for the Raiders was junior second baseman Natalie Rawson (Palmdale, CA). Her RBI single in the third inning of the second game gave her a school record 45 on the season. Amanda Paolucci set the old mark of 44 in 2001. Rawson’s 45 RBI is the second highest total in Patriot League history.
In the nightcap, Lehigh jumped on 51³Ô¹ÏÍø starter Kate Howard (Wheaton, IL) for a pair of unearned runs in the first inning on Erin Hengemuhle’s two-run single.
The Raiders cut the lead in half with a run in the second inning on Bri Tsukamoto’s (Honolulu, HI) RBI single, and then tied the game in the third on Natalie Rawson’s single.
Lehigh pushed across the winning run in the sixth. Elizabeth Gripp led off with a single, and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Then with two outs, Mendy Martin singled to score Gripp.
Howard (9-6) allowed nine hits over six innings, while striking out five and walking two. Kate Arico was the winning pitcher for the Mountain Hawks. She scattered seven hits, struck out one and walked none.
In the opener, Heather Hamasaki limited 51³Ô¹ÏÍø to four hits, while striking out five and walking three for her ninth win of the season. 51³Ô¹ÏÍø’s Elena Isaac (Chandler, AZ) was the losing pitcher. She gave up nine hits, six runs (four earned), walked one and struck out two.
Gripp and Kelly Kliewer drove in a pair of runs for Lehigh, while Martin and Hengemuhle had a RBI.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø’s hits came from Dorothy Donaldson (Lakeland, FL), Natalie Rawson, Erica Anderson (Claremont, CA) and Erin Hanna (Tucson, AZ).
GAME NOTES: Natalie Rawson has moved into ninth place in career hits with 135 … Kate Howard has struck out 78 batters this season which equals the seventh best season in school history … Donaldson has a personal best 54 hits this season.