Bucknell University
Holy Cross *
Bucknell Softball Earns Key Sweep of Holy Cross, Moves into Playoff Position
4/24/2004 8:00:00 AM | Softball
April 24, 2004
Game 1 Box Score -- Game 2 Box Score
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Angie Stackhouse drove in five runs in the opener and Lauran Wible had four hits and four RBIs in the nightcap to lead Bucknell to a much-needed sweep of Holy Cross in a Patriot League softball doubleheader Saturday afternoon. Julie Williams was the winning pitcher in both games for the Bison, who won by scores of 9-5 and 7-4.
With the pair of victories, the Bison (11-23, 6-12) leapfrogged Holy Cross (10-26, 5-13) for the fourth and final playoff spot with just two games to play. Bucknell and Holy Cross will play another doubleheader on Sunday beginning at noon. The Bison need at least a split to guarantee a postseason berth.
Stackhouse and Wible each drove in six runs on the afternoon to propel the Bison to their best offensive day of the season. Bucknell erased a 4-3 deficit with a five-run fifth inning in the first game, then rapped out 10 hits off two Crusader pitchers in the nightcap, scoring four times in the fourth to snap a 3-3 deadlock.
Stackhouse delivered the pivotal hit in Bucknell's big fifth inning in game one. After Kristin Potts singled home pinch-runner Megan Good with the tying run, Stackhouse came up with a clutch two-out, two-run single to give the Bison a 7-5 lead. One batter later, Wible greeted reliever Ria Galiano with another two-RBI single to break the game open.
Williams relieved starter Kelli Haskins after Jean Connolly gave the Crusaders a 5-2 lead with a run-scoring single in the top of the fourth. Williams escaped a bases-loaded, one-out situation with out giving up another run in the fourth, then faced the minimum nine batters over the final three innings to earn the win.
Bucknell scored twice in the bottom of the fourth on Stackhouse's two-run double. Stackhouse enjoyed her second career five-RBI game. Potts also had two hits and two RBI in the opener. Holy Cross starter Michelle Greene (4-9) allowed seven hits and walked eight in 4.2 innings and was charged will all nine runs.
Wible was the hitting star in the nightcap, recording her second career four-hit game while driving in a career-high four runs. Her two-run single snapped a 1-1 tie in the third, then after Holy Cross drew even on Nicole Dessingue's two-run single in the fourth, Wible knocked in two more runs with a base hit as part of Bucknell's decisive four-run fourth-inning outburst. Jennifer James smacked an RBI double and Kris Devore plated Stackhouse to complete the rally.
Williams (6-9) went the distance, allowing four runs, three earned, on nine hits. Nicole Vitti (4-9) allowed seven runs on eight hits and was knocked out during Bucknell's four-run fourth. Alycia FitzPatrick went 3-for-4 in the nightcap, while Melissa Beshire was 3-for-4 in the opener for the Crusaders.
