Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Campbell (Pirate Classic)
Bucknell Softball Loses First Two Games at Pirate Classic
2/17/2006 7:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 17, 2006
GREENVILLE, N.C. - The Bucknell softball team opened its 2006 season with a pair of games at the Pirate Classic, hosted by East Carolina, Friday and lost both. The Bison dropped a 2-1 decision to Campbell in the opener and then fell by an 18-3 score to Elon in a five-inning game later in the afternoon.
Campbell's Lauren Caviness (3-0) scattered seven hits and struck out five as her string of 22 consecutive innings without allowing a run was halted when Lauren Wible (Dover, Pa./Dover) drove in Jennifer James (Ambler, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) with a single in the sixth inning for Bucknell's only run. James, who had two hits in the game, led off the sixth inning with a double to left field. She moved over to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Ashley Carlson (Fairless Hills, Pa./Pennsbury) before Wible knocked her in with her second single of the contest.
Wible, who led the nation in hitting last year, was 3-for-6 in the two games Friday. She started the 2005 campaign 0-for-7. Veterans Lauren Litts (East Stroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg), Michelle Danish (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth) and Ashley Sarnecky (Wilmington, Del./Charter School) each went 1-for-3 in the losing effort.
Christie Wiest (Centre Hall, Pa./Penns Valley) started for the Bison and struck out five, walked three and gave up four hits in six innings of work as Campbell scored both its runs off the sophomore. Meaghan Haley (Henderson, Nev./Green Valley) pitched a perfect seventh inning in relief.
In the nightcap against Elon, Bucknell tallied three runs, a figure it did not reach until the fourth game last season, but it was not enough as the Phoenix scored nine runs in the first inning and eight more in the second on the way to a 15-run victory.
Bucknell scored two runs in the bottom of the second on RBI singles from Litts and Heather Haskin (Noblesville, Ind./Thomas Scecina), while Kris Devore (Washington, Pa./Trinity) knocked in the Bison's other run in the bottom of the third. Litts and Devore each had a pair of hits as Bucknell totaled nine in the game.
Meg Muirhead (Glendale, Calif./Flintridge Academy) started for the Bison and gave up six hits and nine runs in 0.2 innings. Haley relieved her and yielded six hits and five runs in 1.0 innings. Wiest got the final out of the second inning, but gave up three runs and two hits. Muirhead returned for the final three innings and settled down as she gave up five hits and one run while striking out two over the final three frames.
Despite having 10 freshmen on the roster, 14 of Bucknell's 16 hits in the two games Friday came from upperclassmen. Damara Farkas (Louisville, Ohio/Louisville) and Ashley Beans (Hanover, Pa./Hanover) were the lone rookies to record hits.
Bucknell continues play at the Pirate Classic on Saturday. The Bison face Michigan State at 11 a.m. and take on Ohio at 5 p.m.
