Lehigh Stymies Northwestern, 2-1

3/17/2017 6:40:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – After a first inning in which it looked like Northwestern's offense was due to bust out, the Wildcats fell to a late Lehigh rally Friday at the Santa Clara Round Robin Tournament, 2-1.

Northwestern falls to 6-14 on the season with its loss while Lehigh improves to 7-12 with its victory.

Northwestern plays a doubleheader tomorrow, Saturday, March 18, against Grand Canyon and host Santa Clara beginning at 6:30 p.m. CT/4:30 p.m. PT.

The game starter inconspicuously for the Wildcats in the top of the first. On the first pitch of the game from starter Nicole Bond, Lehigh's leadoff laid down a bunt that was thrown away all the way into the right-field corner, allowing the batter to sprint around to third. Bond left her standing right there with a pop up and a pair of strikeouts for a strong start to her day.

Northwestern took advantage to get the lead right away. With one out in the bottom of the first, Marissa Panko spanked a double into right center field before, one out later, coming around to score when Sammy Nettling smashed a double of her own into left for a quick 1-0 Wildcats edge.

Lehigh put two on with one out in the top of the third when the next batter hit a sharp two-hopper to Brooke Marquez at second. Marquez grabbed it, charged the runner like a bull and flipped to Lily Novak at first base as she simultaneously made the tag for a phenomenal 4-3 inning-ending double play.

The Hawks were able to break through for two runs in the top of the fifth. A pair of leadoff singles came around to score on an RBI groundout and a two-out single to put Lehigh in front, 2-1, on the first earned runs surrendered by Northwestern pitching in 22 innings.

The Wildcats put together a response rally in the bottom half, starting when Novak was hit by the first pitch she saw. Eva Stees replaced her on the base paths, then stole second base before moving to third when Panko singled on the infield. Panko stole second herself, but a nice play behind third base on a Kenzie Ellis batted ball ended the threat.

Sophomore Kaley Winegarner took over in the circle in the top of the sixth for NU and worked an efficient scoreless frame around a two-out single. In the bottom half, Northwestern made loud contact but all into outs – including a smash Anna Petersen lineout to first and an Alcy Bush line drive to the centerfielder.

Winegarner whipped through a 1-2-3 top of the seventh, but no Northwestern rally materialized in the bottom half.

Bond (1-4) took the loss, allowing two runs on six hits and three walks with four strikeouts in her 5.0 inning start. Winegarner tossed two scoreless innings of relief with one hit and one strikeout.

Panko led NU at the plate with a pair of base hits.