Bucknell University
Army *
Despite Bison Rallies, Army Takes Two from Bucknell Softball
4/18/2004 8:00:00 AM | Softball
April 18, 2004
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell softball team (8-22, 4-12 PL) made it interesting late in both games, avoiding giving Army a run-rule win in Sunday's opener and taking a 4-3 lead in the nightcap, but ended up dropping both games to the visiting Black Knights (19-17, 12-4 PL), 12-8 in the opener and 5-4 in game two.
Julie Williams (3-9) threw the better part of both games for Bucknell while yielding 12 runs in 13 innings with seven of those runs earned. Offensively, Lauren Litts and Jennifer James led Bucknell with three hits apiece on the day, all in game one. Jill Pompeii was the only Bison with two hits in game two after going 0-for-3 in the opener.
The Black Knights got to first-game starter Kelli Haskins (4-12) early, tagging the junior for five runs in the first. Lindsey Gerheim and Nikki Posey each had two-run home runs while Veronica Lauzon had an RBI-double. Williams relieved Haskins in the second inning and allowed a home run to Lauren Gobar, putting Army up 6-0. The visitors went up 9-0 in the fourth on a two-RBI double from Lindsay March and an RBI-single from Gerheim.
Bucknell was one out from a run-rule loss when the bats came alive in the fifth inning, cutting Army's advantage to 9-5. Following the two-out walk to Pompeii, the next six Bison batters reached before Jenna Fitch grounded out with the bases loaded to end the surge. James had an RBI-double, while two runs came in on an Angela Stackhouse double and another on a Lauren Wible RBI double before Megan Good, pinch running for Wible, scored on a Darcy Wilson throwing error at third base.
But before Bucknell got three runs in the bottom of the seventh and left the bases full, Army pushed the margin that much wider in its half of the last inning. Lauzon had a two-run shot and Lindsey Romack's ground out notched three for Army, giving the visitors a 12-5 lead. In the bottom of the inning, Devore started the scoring with an RBI-single. With the bases loaded, Fitch and Michelle Danish each walked to make the score 12-7. But the Black Knights got pinch runner Megan Feller out at home for the second out, and ended the comeback when Kristen Potts hit a grounder to third, allowing Wilson to step on the bag for the force.
Williams threw the last six innings of game one, giving up seven runs, five earned, on nine hits with two walks. Leigh Harrell (11-9) started and re-entered the game, throwing 5 2/3 innings in total, giving up eight hits and five runs with three earned. Julie Evans and Ashlie Christian each threw 2/3 of an inning, with Evans surrendering three runs on two hits and Christian recording her fourth save of the season while allowing no hits.
Army scored first in game two, when Gobar reached on an error and scored on a March single in the third. Christian retired the first twelve Bucknell batters she faced in game two, but had her perfect game bid broken up when Wible homered to start the fifth. Danish singled home Kris Devore and scored along with Pompeii on a Potts single to put Bucknell up 4-1.
The visitors wasted no time in trimming the lead, getting two in the top of the fifth. While Gobar was tagged out on the base paths, Lauren Shaw scored and Romack came home on a Gerheim single. Army added another in the sixth on a Posey RBI-single and its final run in the seventh on a Lisa Huntington RBI-single.
Julie Williams went the distance for Bucknell, giving up 13 hits and five runs, two earned. Despite Christian's early success, the Army tosser left during Bucknell's four-run fifth, allowing five hits and all four runs with three earned. Harrell came on in the fifth and finished the contest, giving up just two hits along the way.
Bucknell will host Rider in a non-conference doubleheader on Thursday starting at 3:30 p.m. before welcoming Holy Cross to Lewisburg next Saturday and Sunday. The Bison currently stand one game back of the Crusaders for the last Patriot League Tournament berth with just the four Bucknell-Holy Cross games left to play.
Game 1 Army 5 1 0 3 0 0 3 -- 12 15 4 Bucknell 0 0 0 0 5 0 3 -- 8 10 4Harrell, Evans (5), Harrell (5), Christan (7) and Lauzon;
Haskins, Williams (2) and Stackhouse. WP - Harrell (10-9). LP - Haskins (4-12).
RBI - A: Gobar, March 2, Gerheim 3, Lauzon 3, Posey 2, Romack; B: James, Stackhouse 2, Wible, Devore, Fitch, Danish.
2B - A: Marsh, Wilson, Shaw, Lauzon, Posey, James 2; B: Stackhouse, Wible.
HR - A: Gobar, Gerheim, Lauzon, Posey.Team Records: Army 18-17, 11-4 PL. Bucknell 8-21, 4-11 PL.
Game 2 Army 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 -- 4 13 0 Bucknell 1 2 0 0 3 2 0 0 x -- 8 9 2
Christian, Harrell (5). WP - Harrell (11-9). LP - Williams (3-9).
RBI - A: March, Gerheim, Huntington, Posey; B: Potts, Wible, Danish. HR - B: Wible (3).Team Records: Army 19-17, 12-4 PL. Bucknell 8-22, 4-12 PL.
