Bronx, N.Y. - The Lehman College softball team sent its seniors out with a doubleheader sweep of John Jay on Saturday in the Bronx. The Lightning took the opener, 9-1 and won game two, 13-5. Prior to the game, Yaidee Nieves, Andrelina Gil and Maranda Diaz were honored prior to the game in their Senior Day ceremony.
Lehman took a 2-0 lead in the first inning of game one a three singles. Diaz led off the game with a base hit, stole second and scored on a hit from Diamond Villegas. Caitlin Vernon later laid down a bunt that scored the second run. An inning later, Diaz laced an RBI double to center that drove in Lisette Guerro, who singled. The score went to 6-0 in the third after home runs from Villegas and Tiffany Adames. John Jay got a run in the fourth, but Lehman got it back with a Gil sac fly in the fifth. An inning later, the Lightning put the game away for good. Stephany Cruz led off with a bunt single. Diaz drove her in with another two-bagger. She then stole third scored the walk-off run when the throw went into left field.
Villegas pitched a complete game to earn the win in game one. She struck out nine and allowed just one hit. Diaz was a perfect 4-4 at the plate. Villegas was nearly as effective in game two. She struck out nine and allowed just two earned runs in her five innings of work. At the plate, she collected four RBI and hit a homer.
Lehman scored in all four at-bats of game two. They got an unearned run in the first and scored five more in the second. The key hits were a two-RBI single from Diaz and a triple by Genesis Paulino that scored a run. Five more runs in the third essentially put the game away. Cruz and Guerro collected RBI singles, while Villegas blasted a three-run-homer. Two more runs in the fourth sealed the 13-5 victory.
Between games, there was a ceremony honoring former Lehman College softball star, Joanne Pulley. She was a three-sport athlete for the (then) Lancers and earned her Bachelor's and Master's from Lehman. Pulley recently lost her battle with cancer, and her former teammates, family and friends erected a plaque for her in the Lehman College softball dugout.
The Lehman College softball team returns to action on Monday, April 23, when they go to Allentown, Pennsylvania for a DH against Cedar Crest College.
