MERION STATION, Pa. - Saint Joseph's senior Anna Lauterbach set a new single-season mark for saves as the Hawks' topped Lehigh, 9-6, in the first game of a doubleheader on Wednesday at the SJU Softball Field. The Hawks would fall to the Mountain Hawks in the second game, 7-3, in a six inning contest.
Lauterbach, who previously was tied with Taryn Ashway (2010) and Liz Mendez (2013) for the record, worked the final two innings of game one to pick up her fifth save of the year and seventh careeer save.
In the opener, the Mountain Hawks opened the scoring in the top of the first on a RBI single by Katie Schultz to make it 1-0.
The Hawks' starting pitcher Ashley Ventura worked out of a bases loaded jam from there though, getting a strike out and a ground out to end the first and allow her teammates to answer back at the plate.
Saint Joseph's catcher Kaylyn Zierke wasted little time in evening the score at 1-1 as she singled home Amanda Kulp with two outs in the bottom of the first to make it a 1-1 contest.
The Hawks gained their first lead of the contest in the bottom of the third on a two-run double by Taryn Grober that scored Erica Nugent and Kulp to make it 3-1.
Lehigh regained the lead in the top of the fourth on a three-run pinch hit home run by Ashley Cole.
A four-run fourth by Saint Joseph's gave the host Hawks the lead again, opening a 7-4 advantage. Grober, Zierke, Madeline Brunck and Sarah Yoos each picked up an RBI each in the inning for the Hawks.
A single by Carolyn Wright scored Schultz in the top of the fifth to bring Lehigh within two, 7-5.
Yoos drilled a two-run home run to centerfield to give the Hawks some insurance runs, making it 9-5 in the sixth.
Lehigh was able to strike for a run in the top of the seventh, but Lauterbach shut the door, allowing just one run over the final two innings to pick up the save.
Ventura picked up the win, improving to 4-4 as she allowed five runs over five innings, while striking out two.
At the plate, Grober went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, while Yoos added three RBIs and scored once.
Lehigh struck for five runs in the top of the second of game two, chasing SJU starter Madison Clarke and taking a 5-0 lead.
Senior Hannah Dionne drilled a two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth, scoring Yoos, to bring the Hawks to within three, 5-2.
A bases loaded single by Yoos in the fifth brought home Kulp to make it 5-3, but Lehigh was able to throw out Grober at the plate for the third out of the inning to end the threat.
Lehigh added a pair of insurance runs in the sixth to open a 7-3 advantage.
Saint Joseph's would threaten in the sixth, but couldn't plate runs as the game was called after six innings due to darkness.
Saint Joseph's returns to action Friday as it opens Atlantic 10 play at Dayton. Game time is set for 4 p.m.
