BRONX, N.Y. – The Lehman College softball team opened the 2014 season in grand fashion, by winning both games against Cedar Crest  College on the South Field on Saturday afternoon. The wins ushered in the Now-Allah James era, as he has now won his first two games as the head coach.

In the first game, Lehman trailed by a run going into the bottom of the ninth inning but scored two runs to win in walk-off fashion, 12-11. The Lightning had another come from behind victory in the back end of the doubleheader, scoring six times in the bottom of the sixth to win, 14-6.

In Game One, the Lightning (2-0) trailed by a run before even coming to bat. In the bottom half of the first, the Lightning got on the board via a passed ball as sophomore outfielder Chariny Graciano (Jackson Heights, N.Y./Information Technology) crossed the plate to score Lehman's first run of the season.

Lehman dug themselves in a hole during the top half of the second, when Shannon Wenner of Cedar Crest (0-8) drilled a three-run home run to put the visitors up, 4-1.

For the second straight inning, Lehman countered. With Lehman trailing 4-3 with one out in the bottom of the second, and a runner on third, Graciano singled, scoring freshman Arlette Martinez (Brooklymn, N.Y./Newtown), to tie the game at four.

The Falcons scored a pair of runs in the top of third to take their third lead of the game, 6-4. This time, the Lightning would not be able to tie the game in the bottom half of the inning.

In the bottom of the fourth, however, the Lightning bats exploded as senior outfielder Jelsey Cox (Queens Village, N.Y./Campus Magnet) drove in two runs on a single to right field to tie the game at six. Lehman took their first lead of the game and for the season on a wild pitch that scored Graciano. With runners on second and third with two outs, sophomore short stop Jona Kerluku (Ozone Park, N.Y./Construction Trade) was the next hitter for the home team. She promptly crushed a three run home run to extend Lehman's lead to 10-6.

The Falcons were down to their last three outs but rallied to score four runs to take a narrow 11-10 lead heading into the home half of the seventh inning. With one out, freshman Linda Resto (Bronx, N.Y./Lehman H.S.) was hit by the pitch and was awarded first base, then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Freshman Alondra Rodriguez (Jarabacoa, D.R./Academy for Social Action) was also hit by a pitch and went to first. After the two runners advanced on a wild pitch, another wild pitch was thrown and Resto raced home to tie the score. But Lehman won not done on the play. Sophomore Xiomara Pacheco (New York, N.Y./St. Jean Baptiste) kept coming home. The catcher tracked down the ball, and threw to the plate, to the catcher who was covering. However, the ball would up way wide, and Pacheco slid home to end the game.

Freshman pitcher Meghan Bravo (Pearl River, N.Y./Pearl River) earned the win in relief by pitching 4.1 innings, surrendering three earned runs and giving up six hits. She forced the opposing hitters into eight groundball outs.

For the game, Kerluku had three runs batted in on her home run, while senior centerfielder Jelsey Cox (Queens Village, N.Y./Campus Magnet) had a pair of hits and as many RBI.

In Game Two, Lehman found themselves in a similar situation by trailing, 1-0, going into the home half of the first inning.  With runners on the corners and two outs, Kerluku singled home Graciano to tie the game at one run apiece.

After Ceder Crest scored a pair of runs in the top of the second inning to take a 3-1 lead, the Lightning struck back. Senior Sheila San Andres (Woodhaven, N.Y./Construction Trade) came up to bat with runners on second and third and nobody out. She drilled a two-run double to right field, scoring Resto and junior Ashley Williams (Bronx, N.Y./Bronx Leadership Academy) to knot the game, 3-3. Martinez then singled to center, scoring San Andres to give Lehman its first lead of the game, 4-3.

The Lightning did more damage in the bottom of the fourth inning, scoring three runs to extend their lead to 7-3.

The Falcons would not go down without a fight and put up a three-spot of their own, in the top of the fifth. In the bottom half of the fifth, the Lightning got an insurance run on a Martinez RBI groundout.

Leading 8-6 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, Bravo singled to left field to score sophomore Kyala Cruz (Brooklyn, N.Y./American Senior) and put Lehman up 9-6. From there, Cedar Crest imploded. In the inning, the Falcons made five errors, as Lehman scored six runs on just four hits. The lead swelled to eight runs, which triggered the end of the game, and Lehman had swept the doubleheader.

Bravo picked up her second win of the day, pitching a complete game, giving up four earned runs, striking out three. She had a great game at the plate too with two hits, two runs batted in, and one run scored.

 San Andres had a monster game, going three for three with four runs batted in and three runs scored.  Cruz  scored two runs on two hits and drove in a run. Resto also scored three runs and drew a walk. Williams scored two runs and had one hit.

The Lightning will return to the South Field on Tuesday, March 18, for a doubleheader against Mount Saint Vincent. First pitch of the opening game is scheduled to be thrown at 4:30 p.m.