Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Penn State
Bucknell Softball Falls in Non-League Doubleheader to Penn State, 3-0 and 8-0
4/11/2006 8:00:00 AM | Softball
April 11, 2006
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Missy Beseres and Ashley Esparza combined to allow no runs and just three hits to Bucknell as they struck out 17 hitters during Penn State's softball doubleheader sweep at Nittany Lion Park Wednesday evening. The Nittany Lions won 3-0 in game one and 8-0 in five innings in the second contest. Meghan Feller (Willoughby Hills, Ohio/Notre Dame) recorded two of the three hits for the Bison in the doubleheader.
Feller led off game one with a single to centerfield against Beseres (11-5), but was the lone baserunner Bucknell (8-26) would have as Beseres retired the next 21 batters in order. Beseres finished with nine strikeouts as she tossed her team-high fifth shutout of the season.
Penn State (23-11) scored a lone run in the second on a sacrifice fly by Destinie Chavez and a pair in the third on a two-run home run by Esparza off Bucknell starter Tanya Roth (1-6) (Mountain Lakes, N.J./Mountain Lakes). Roth pitched her first career complete game and limited Penn State to just five hits, three runs and three walks in six innings of work.
Bison starter Katie McDonald (1-1) (York, Pa./West York) limited the Nittany Lions to just three hits and one unearned run one out into the third inning. However, a one-out walk followed by four consecutive singles knocked McDonald out of the contest in favor of Christie Wiest (Centre Hall, Pa./Penns Valley) as Penn State plated four runs in the third inning.
Penn State went up by the final 8-0 score on a three-run home run from Hollee Haines in the fourth. It was her team-high fifth round tripper of the year.
Feller, who singled in the third inning, and Jennifer James (Ambler, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham), who singled in the second, managed Bucknell's only two hits in the contest off Esparza (6-4). Esparza allowed just those two baserunners and struck out eight in her five innings of work.
Bucknell, which has been shut out in four consecutive games, returns to Patriot League play with a four-game home series against Army this weekend. Saturday's doubleheader begins at 12 p.m. at West Fields.
