Dramatic Rally Helps Lightning Softball Split With St. Elizabeth

March 15, 2012

Box Score Gm. 1
Box Score Gm. 2

BRONX, N.Y. - Janet Ortiz's booming double in the bottom of the eighth inning scored Ernestine Grant with the winning run as the Lightning took the first game 16-15 on the way to a doubleheader split with visiting College of St. Elizabeth on Thursday on the South Field.

Ortiz finished the game 2-for-6 with two RBIs and three runs scored.

The winning rally began with a walk to Grant. A fly out to center by Vania Cadet preceded a passed ball that allowed Grant to move into scoring position. Ashley Falcon then coaxed out a walk of her own to set up Ortiz's heroics.

The junior catcher's big hit capped a wild game that saw the Lightning rebound from a 12-7 fourth inning deficit.

Following a sixth run frame by St. Elizabeth's in the top of the fourth, the Lightning started to chip away, scoring one in its half of the fourth and then four more in the bottom of the sixth on the back of a two-run single from Ashley Williams to pull to within 13-12.

St. Elizabeth's got two back in the top of the seventh on a single off the glove of Lightning pitcher Natalie Martinez by Patricia Yagecic and an RBI ground out from Luisa Solano.

Trailing 15-12 the Lightning took advantage of three Eagles' errors to tie the game on a two-out infield single by Williams. Lehman's freshman first baseman finished the game 3-for-5 with four RBIs.

Natalie Martinez was the recipient of the Lightning's comeback as she earned the win with five innings of work in relief of starter Sheila San Andres. Martinez also drove in three runs at the plate.

The Lightning overcame nine errors in the field to secure the win.

Lehman was not as fortunate in the second game as the team fell behind 9-0 through the first three innings and never recovered, managing five hits off Eagles' starter Catherine Eber. Genesis Batista picked up two hits in two plate appearances and Ortiz, Williams and Toni Angel Puya each managed a hit.

After playing four games in two days the Lightning will get a chance to rest before returning to the South Field on March 20 for a double dip against Polytechnic Institute of New York University.

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