Weather and time worked against Lehigh Valley's Carpenter Cup softball team as they were eliminated from the tournament last week after losses to Tri-Cape and Burlington County.

Lehigh Valley's first game last Wednesday resulted in an early morning 5-2 loss to Tri-Cape, but Lehigh Valley came back with a 4-0 victory over Olympic Colonial in the afternoon.

Regarding Lehigh Valley's first loss, catcher, Janae Matos said, "We still knew we had solid players, but it would be a hard road ahead."

In addition, Lehigh Valley was without one of its best pitchers, Emmaus's Olivia Marcks, who was committed to another tournament.

"I think it definitely hurt us," said Matos.

Lehigh Valley's win against Olympic Colonial provided a needed boost for Lehigh Valley, which would have to wait approximately five hours before its final game of the day.

About to face Burlington County, the game was further delayed by thunder and lightning.

Burlington County, which was undefeated, took a 4-0 lead in the first inning, and scored four more runs in the third. Lehigh Valley scored two runs in the fifth inning, but the game was eventually called on account of darkness.

"We got down early in the game and never had a chance to come back. We left nine runners on base in both games we lost. We didn't score the runs we needed to," Matos said.

Matos had a single against both Olympic Colonial and Burlington County, and caught in all three games last Wednesday.

"I think the highs [of the tournament] were the relationships coming out of this. The lows were losing as early as we did. It was a little bit disappointing," said Matos.

Matos will continue playing softball this summer with the Northwest Explosion.

"There will be a few [college coaches] coming up to watch," she said.