Bucknell University
Colgate *
Two Costly Innings Doom Bucknell in Doubleheader Loss to Colgate
4/6/2004 8:00:00 AM | Softball
April 6, 2004
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell softball team was once again within striking distance of the reigning Patriot League champion Colgate Raiders in both games, but a bad inning in both of those contests allowed Colgate to come away with the doubleheader sweep in Patriot League action on Tuesday, April 6. The games, a 10-6 first game and a 14-4 five inning second, were originally scheduled for Sunday but postponed due to inclement weather.
Colgate's Natalie Rawson had a career day at the plate, going 4-for-6 with three homeruns, a sacrifice fly and 11 runs batted in. Most of her damage was done in the second game, when she was 3-for-3 with a solo shot, a three-run homer and a grand slam, to go along with the sacrifice for nine RBI in the contest. Her homerun total set a school record for round-trippers in a game, and the RBI number ties the Colgate single-game mark.
The Bison took advantage of a sluggish Raider team to open the first game, jumping out to a 2-1 lead after capitalizing on three hits and three errors in the bottom of the first inning. After Colgate tied the game in the third, BU put together another two-run inning to take a 4-2 lead.
Sophomore Lauren Wible led off the fourth with a single through the right side. Classmate Kris Devore sacrificed pinch-runner Megan Good over to second, before freshman Lauren Litts smacked a double to left center to score Good. One out later, freshman Jen James recorded the first double of her career to plate Felicia Desher, pinch-running for Litts.
Bucknell carried the 4-2 lead into the fifth inning when things fell apart. Orange and Blue pitcher Julie Williams got the first batter out, but then the Raiders proceeded to score three runs and collect four hits before the host team could record another out. After Caitlin Thistle grounded out to the pitcher, now Kelli Haskins who had replaced Williams three batters into the inning, for the second out, Colgate tacked on three more runs to end the frame with an 8-4 lead.
Colgate scored two more unearned runs in the top of the seventh inning to build a comfortable 10-4 lead. Bucknell made it interesting, however, scoring two runs on two hits and a Raiders error. BU had runners on second and third with two outs, but Kelsey Nordstrom got Litts looking to end the threat and the game for her second save of the year.
Elena Isaac picked up the win for the visitors, giving up seven hits and four runs while striking out three. Nordstrom allowed two Bucknell hits in three innings of work, fanning four. Williams went 4.1 innings for the Bison, striking out two, surrendering five hits and allowing four runs. Haskins was charged with the loss for 2.2 innings, four hits and six runs.
The nightcap was similar to the first through the first three innings. The Raiders got on the board first with two runs in the first inning, one of those coming on Natalie Rawson's sacrifice fly.
Bucknell got one of those back in the bottom of the third when senior Kristen Potts' single down the leftfield line scored Devore from second. After allowing two more to Colgate in the top of the third, BU cut the deficit to 4-2 with Devore's single down the leftfield line that scored Stackhouse, who had doubled earlier in the inning.
The troublesome inning crept up again, this time in the form of a seven-run, six-hit fourth. Brianna Tsukamoto got the offense going with a one-out single up the middle, followed by Thistle's single through the left side. After Rachel Smith drew a walk to load the bases, Nichole Rawson showed her patience to force in a run with her base on balls, chasing Haskins, who had started the game. Freshman Lisa Vacarro came in and walked Dorothy Donaldson for another run before Natalie Rawson delivered her second-straight homerun of the game, a grand slam that went out just inside the leftfield foul pole.
Colgate was not done. Erin Hanna and Kate Howard delivered back-to-back singles before the Bison finally got the second out of the inning. Tsukamoto then recorded her second hit of the frame to score Hanna before centerfielder Jill Pompeii made a perfect throw to home to catch Howard trying to score for the final out.
The Bucknell bats responded when freshman Michelle Danish led off the bottom of the frame with a double to right field, and Danish and senior Jenna Fitch switched places on Fitch's double through the right side. After a Stackhouse single put runners on the corners, Wible and Devore were hit by pitches back-to-back to force across Fitch to make it 11-4.
The Raiders scored three more in the top of the fifth on Natalie Rawson's three-run blast to left centerfield, and did not let a two-out double by Fitch in the bottom of the frame result in anything to come away with the 14-4 five-inning win.
Howard was the winning pitcher, allowing eight hits and four runs, while striking out four. Haskins gave up eight hits and eight runs before leaving in the fourth. Vacarro pitched 1.2 innings, giving up six hits and six runs.
Bucknell is 7-11 overall and 3-5 in conference action. The Bison host Towson tomorrow afternoon at 3:30 p.m. for a non-conference doubleheader. Colgate is 25-7 overall and 7-1 in Patriot League play.
