Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Army*
Bucknell Uses Late-Inning Comebacks to Sweep Army in Softball, 8-7 and 3-2
4/15/2006 8:00:00 AM | Softball
April 15, 2006
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Heather Haskin (Noblesville, Ind./Thomas Scecina Memorial) laced a bases-clearing, game-winning, three-run double in the bottom of the seventh inning to propel the Bucknell softball team to an 8-7 come-from-behind victory over Army in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday at West Fields. The Bison also claimed the second contest in come-from-behind fashion when Kris Devore (Washington, Pa./Trinity) hit a solo home run and Damara Farkas (Louisville, Ohio/Louisville) drove in the winning run in the bottom of the sixth of a 3-2 win.
Bucknell (10-26, 4-6 Patriot League) fell behind early in the first game as Army (11-26, 4-6 PL) scored two runs in the first and fourth innings, as well as three in the fifth, to take a 7-1 lead into the bottom of the sixth inning. That's when the Bison comeback started. After registering just four hits and only one run on a solo shot by Lauren Litts (East Stroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg) against starter Veronica Barth (4-13), Army replaced her with Chris Stauffer to begin the sixth frame. Lauren Wible (Dover, Pa./Dover) grounded out to third to begin the inning, but four of the next five Bison hitters recorded hits with a two-run single up the middle by Jennifer James (Ambler, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) and a double to center by Farkas the two big blows as the Army lead shrunk to 7-4.
Stauffer began the seventh inning and got two of the first three hitters to ground out. However, Litts got her third hit of the game to chase her from the game with two outs and runners on first and third. Barth returned to the circle and allowed Devore to reach on an error by the second baseman and James to single to load the bases. Haskin then driller her long double to left-center to clear the bases and give Bucknell its second Patriot League win in its last at bat this season.
Army took an early 2-0 lead with three consecutive one-out hits in the top of the first inning against Bucknell starter Christie Wiest (Centre Hall, Pa./Penns Valley). It appeared as though the Black Knights might be able to break the game open in the second when they loaded the bases with none out against Wiest. However, Melissa Garza flew out to right and a perfect throw by Ashley Carlson (Fairless Hills, Pa./Pennsbury) nailed Barth at the plate. Wiest then got Jamie Gjurgevich to ground out and end the inning.
Army tacked on two more runs against Wiest in the fourth before she was replaced by Tanya Roth (2-6) (Mountain Lakes, N.J./Mountain Lakes). Wiest allowed nine hits, four runs and one walk with one strikeout in 3.1 innings. Roth, who won her second game of the year, yielded just three hits and three runs in 3.2 innings.
In addition to Litts' three hits, James, Haskin and Farkas each had multiple-hit contests in the first game as Bucknell pounded out 12 hits to equal its second-highest figure of the season. Army also registered a dozen hits with Nikki Posey collecting a team-high three.
The Bison again needed a comeback in the second game as the Black Knights took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third on a two-out RBI single by Kelly Trout that brought home two runs, the second when Carlson let the ball skip underneath her glove.
Bucknell quickly answered with one run in the bottom of the third without a hit as Army committed two of its four errors in the game in that frame.
Neither team was able to push across a run in the fourth or fifth innings, although the Black Knights did load the bases against Meaghan Haley (2-3) (Henderson, Nev./Green Valley) in the fifth.
Devore then equaled the score with a high, lofting home run to left field that led off the sixth inning. After two straight groundouts to third, Farkas lofted a triple down the right field line that rolled past Abby Rayl. Beans then served a two-out single over the third baseman's head to plate Farkas with the eventual winning run.
Haley, who notched her first career complete game, did allow a one-out double to Darcy Wilson in the seventh, but that was it. She scattered nine hits and four walks over her 7.0 innings of work. Just one of the two runs scored off her were earned.
Trout (4-8) went the distance for Army as well. She scattered nine hits over 6.0 innings, although five hits came in the final two innings.
Meghan Feller (Willoughby, Ohio/Notre Dame), who saw her six-game hitting streak come to an end in the opener, was one of three Bison to tally two hits in the nightcap. Wible and Farkas, who was 4-for-5 on the day, each recorded a pair of hits as well.
Bucknell, which ended a seven-game losing streak to Army in Saturday's first game, will face the Black Knights in another doubleheader Sunday. First pitch is at 12 p.m. at West Fields.
