The Brown & White

The softball team kept its first place spot in the Patriot League after going 3-1 in the weekend series against the Bucknell University Bison.

The Mountain Hawks went 1-1 on Saturday, winning the first game 2-1, but falling in the second, 15-8.

On Sunday the squad avenged the loss, going 3-0 in game one and 5-4 in the last game of the series.

After the weekend, the Hawks are 28-10-1 on the season and 9-3 in league play.

The Bison left Kaufman field 15-24 on the season and 6-6 in the league.

The 2-1 win on Saturday came in the eighth inning when freshman catcher Carly Potock connected at the plate to drive in sophomore catcher Brooke Lewis and break the 1-1 tie.

Junior pitcher Lisa Sweeney led the Hawks both on the mound and at the plate on Saturday.

At the mound, Sweeney pitched a no-hitter until the sixth inning, when Bucknell junior outfielder Ashley Carlson secured a single.

In the first inning Sweeney secured a 1-0 lead for the Hawks with a single to drive senior outfielder Kate Marvel home.

Sweeney was named the Patriot League pitcher of the week three times this season. She leads the team in runs with 26 and has the team's best pitching record at 15-3.

The Hawks carried their 1-0 lead into the seventh inning, until Bucknell's freshman catcher Elyse Colmenero scored after taking advantage of two Lehigh errors.

Lehigh out hit Bucknell 9-4 in the victory.

Carlson led the Bison in hits in the team's loss with two. She is second on the team in runs with 22 and third on the team in hits with 29.

Despite the win, the Hawks fell short of a perfect day after dropping their second game to the Bison. The loss ended the squad's 10 game winning streak over the Bison since 2001.

The game's score bounced back and forth until the sixth inning; with Bucknell earning an 8-7 lead, which the Hawks quickly tied up again.

The Bison went on to score seven runs in the top of the eighth inning to secure the win at 15-8.

Despite finishing Saturday's second game with six errors, the Bison out hit the Hawks 18-10.

Senior outfielder Kate Marvel led the Hawks in runs with two, and finished out the day with three runs from both games.

Marvel is tied for second on the team in runs with 21 and second on the team in hits with 36.

The loss was Sweeney's third of the season.

Senior infielder Taryn Hanley said the Hawks have been focusing primarily on playing up to their full potential each game, something that is always a work in progress.

"As of late, we have been struggling to play to our full potential," she said. "But we have full confidence that we can figure it out as a team and end the season on a high note."

Hanley said the loss wasn't detrimental and the Hawks still have a good chance of winning another league title.

"It's very important to us to win the Patriot League," she said. "The goal we strive for every year is definitely attainable if we really focus on it."

The Hawks would become league champions for the 10th consecutive year if a league title is achieved this season.

The team travels next to Lawrenceville, NJ for a match up against the Rider University Broncs this Wednesday. The squads last met in 2006 in a doubleheader.

The weekend was split with the Hawks winning the first match up 5-1 and the Broncs taking the second with a score of 7-1.

The doubleheader is set for Wednesday.

The first pitch is at 3 p.m. while the second is at 5 p.m.