Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Colorado State
Bucknell Falls Twice in Orlando
3/13/2002 7:00:00 AM | Softball
March 13, 2002
ORLANDO--On their third day at the Rebel Softball Classic in Orlando, the Bison took the field under the lights at the Osceola County Sports Complex for a nighttime doubleheader. In game one, the Bison succumbed to the powerful offensive attack of the Colorado State Rams, falling 13-0 in five innings. In the second game, the combination of Bucknell defensive miscues and clutch hitting by George Mason led the Partiots to a 9-1 victory in five innings.
Junior Brandi Porter started in the cirlce against Colorado State but failed to record an out in the second inning before junior Lauren Box was called in to relieve Porter. By the end of the Rams' half of the second, they had pushed across thirteen runs on thirteen hits, highlighted by a two-out, grand slam home run by catcher Kerry Farrell in the second. Box held the Rams scoreless in the third and fourth innings, but the damage had been done. Katie Koch led Colorado State with three hits and three runs scored, while Ricki Walker also singled three times and Maren Christensen and Jennifer Mahoney chipped in two hits apiece.
Christensen retired the first eleven Bison batters she faced, including five strikeouts, before senior designated hitter Kathy Zeevalk singled in the top of the fourth. Another single by senior co-captain Kelly Dugan in the fifth would be the only other base hit Christensen would give up to the Bison.
In game two, freshman Kelli Haskins got her second start of the season and pitched well early. After three innings, the Bison trailed 2-1 thanks to a sacrifice fly by senior co-captain Jenna Demetriades that scored pinch runner Courtney Dohoney in the bottom of the third. Zeevalk began the inning reaching on a dropped infield pop-up, and sophomore Erin Doyle followed with a single. Dugan moved up both runners with a sacrifice bunt before Demtriades's sacrifice fly to center. The Bison had opportunities to score in the first two innings, but left two runners on in the first and left the bases loaded in the second.
The Patriots would pull away in their half of the fourth, thanks to a two-out, grand slam home run by centerfielder Linda Young. A single, a walk, and a Bison fielding error had loaded the bases for Young. Already 2-for-2, Young blasted the Haskins offering over the centerfield fence and extended the George Mason lead to 7-1. GMU would use three singles and two Bison errors to push across two more runs in the fifth. Pitcher Rene Leveque would retire Bucknell in order in the fourth and fith to earn the victory.
Haskins took the loss for the Bison, despite surrendering only one earned run. Doyle added another single, goinjg 2-for-3 in the game, and senior Lauren Titus added a double. Jen Schultz added two hits in three at-bats for the winners.
The Bison have Wednesday off before resuming action in the Rebel Classic Thursday morning. Bucknell will face off against Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne at 8:50 am and Bowling Green at 10:40 am.
Game One Bucknell 0 0 0 0 0 - 0 2 2 Colorado St. 2(11)0 0 x - 13 14 0 Porter, Box(2) and Stackhouse, Christensen and Farrell. WP-Christensen. LP-Porter. RBI-CSU: Farrell(4), Walker(2), Christensen(2), Koch, Burtner. HR-CSU: Farrell.
Game Two George Mason 1 0 1 5 2 - 9 9 1 Bucknell 0 0 1 0 0 - 1 4 4 Leveque and D. Fox, Haskins, Porter(5) and Fitch. WP-Leveque. LP-Haskins. RBI-GMU: Young(5), D. Fox, Schultz, Hrycyna, BU: Demetriades. 2B-GMU: Schultz, BU: Titus. HR-GMU: Young.
