Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Army *
Bucknell Softball Season Ends With Pair of Losses at Army
4/27/2003 8:00:00 AM | Softball
April 27, 2003
WEST POINT, N.Y. - Playing its sixth and seventh games in the last four days, the Bucknell softball team came up short in its last-ditch effort to secure a Patriot League Tournament berth, falling 4-2 and 4-3 at Army on Sunday afternoon.
The Bison rapped 16 hits in the twin bill, including a pair of home runs from Lauren Wible, but Army rallied from early deficits in both games to secure a playoff spot. Bucknell (11-33, 6-14) entered the four-game series just one game behind Army (18-21, 9-11 PL) for the fourth and final postseason berth, but the Black Knights captured the final three games of the series. While at West Point, Bucknell also dropped a 4-3 decision to Holy Cross in a makeup game of an earlier rainout, adding to the team's busy final weekend.
Lauren Box started both games in the circle for the Bison and was the tough-luck loser in Sunday's opener. After Meredith Gill led off the game with a home run, a passed ball three Bison errors led to four unearned runs. With the game tied at 1-apiece in the bottom of the second, a costly two-out error plated the go-ahead runs for Army.
Jamie Gjurgevich knocked in an insurance run with an RBI single in the third. Bucknell closed within 4-2 on Wible's homer leading off the top of the seventh, and the Bison brought the tying run to the plate after Box followed with a single, but Army starter Ashlie Christian wiggled out of trouble, retiring Alyssa Schneebaum on a ground ball to third to seal the verdict.
Bucknell twice led by a single run in the early innings of the nightcap, but both times Army answered in their turn at bat, and the Black Knights surged ahead for good Lauren Gobar's two-run round-tripper.
After pitching well in game one, Box started the nightcap as well and was staked to a 1-0 led on Wible's second home run of the day leading off the second. Army tied it in the bottom of the second on Gjurgevich's RBI single, but Box averted further damage by stranding the bases loaded.
Kris Devore, who had three hits in game two, singled home a run in the third, but this time it was Bucknell's turn to leave the sacks loaded, and the Bison settled for a short-lived 2-1 lead. The first three Army batters reached in the bottom of the third, including Lisa Huntington's RBI single. Julie Williams relieved Box and benefited from first-baseman Wible's unassisted double play to retire the side.
After Gobar's blast put the Black Knights in front, Bucknell rallied in the sixth. Jennifer Ross got things started with a one-out single, and she scored on Jenna Fitch's single one out later. But with runners at second and third and two outs, Angela Stackhouse lined sharply to second base to end the threat.
Christian, the winning pitcher in game one, worked the seventh to notch her fourth save of the season in game two.
Bucknell had been scheduled to host Mount St. Mary's in a single game on Tuesday, but a scheduling conflict has forced the cancellation of that contest and the Bison's season has come to an end.
