The Tigers (11-15 overall, 2-2 Ivy League) have now won five of their past 11 games as they head into their second weekend of Ivy League play. The split leaves Lehigh with a 17-15 record.
The Tigers threatened to rally early in the first match. In the bottom of the first inning, junior third baseman Kelsey VandeBergh hit a single to center field, which was followed by a low-flying single up the middle by sophomore first baseman and pitcher Alex Peyton.
The Mountain Hawks then walked sophomore outfielder Lizzy Pierce on a full count, leaving the bases loaded with two outs. But freshman shortstop Tory Roberts came to the plate and popped up to the shortstop to end the Tigers’ momentum, which was not seen again for the rest of the game.
Peyton could not hold off the Lehigh lineup for much longer. Shortstop Jennifer Colquhoun led off the top of the second inning with a single to left field. Colquhoun moved to second base after a sacrifice bunt by second baseman Tenley Halaquist. Peyton then walked right fielder Carly Potock on a full count and pinch hitter Jacqi Kennelly to load the bases.
Center fielder Audra Wood stepped up to the plate and hit a shot through the right side for a single, giving the Mountain Hawks a 2-0 lead.
Princeton did not score a single run in the game, and fell behind further after another rally in the top of the fourth inning led to a third Lehigh run.
The Tigers eventually put in senior co-captain and pitcher Michelle Tolfa, who held the Mountain Hawks to one hit, a solo home run in the seventh inning. Peyton allowed three runs and was credited with the loss, bringing her record this year to 2-9.
Princeton started the second game on a different note, as sophomore pitcher Liza Kuhn took the mound and struck out two of the first three Lehigh hitters. In the bottom of the first inning, junior outfielder Nicole Ontiveros hit a low single up the middle to reach base and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore outfielder Candace Button.
After VandeBergh struck out on a 1-2 count, Peyton came to the plate and powered a shot deep into right field to bring Ontiveros home with a double. The inning ended when Pierce lined out to the pitcher.
Princeton widened the lead during the top of the third inning. Button singled up the middle and VandeBergh hit a line drive deep down the right-field line, bringing Button home with only one out.
VandeBergh advanced to third base on the throw home and then scored an unearned run when Peyton reached base on an error by the shortstop, extending the Princeton lead to 3-0.
Kuhn allowed a home run during the top of the sixth inning and another run in the seventh when left fielder Kristin Taft hit a run-scoring single. However, the Tigers threw Taft out trying to reach second base, and Kuhn retired the final batter to seal the win.
With the victory, Kuhn improved her record to 6-2. She allowed two earned runs in seven innings, bringing down her ERA nearly a full run to 6.90.
The Tigers will travel to New England over the weekend where they will play Ivy League rivals Harvard and Dartmouth.
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