Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Towson
Bucknell Softball Drops Two Close Games to Towson, 2-1 and 1-0
4/19/2006 8:00:00 AM | Softball
April 19, 2006
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell starting pitchers Christie Wiest (Centre Hall, Pa./Penns Valley) and Meaghan Haley (Henderson, Nev./Green Valley) allowed just three runs in 11.0 innings of work, while reliever Meg Muirhead (Glendale, Calif./Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy) pitched 3.0 scoreless innings, but Bucknell was swept in a non-league doubleheader by Towson Wednesday afternoon at West Fields. The Bison dropped the first game 2-1, while they fell 1-0 in the second.
Wiest (2-10) scattered seven hits in the first game as she notched her sixth complete game of the season, but Towson (22-22) was able to touch her for two runs, just one was earned, in the fifth inning after the first two hitters reached base. A pair of errors by Kristin Frick (West Chester, Pa./Bishop Shanahan) at shortstop helped lead to the second run.
Wiest did strike out five hitters in the contest that featured just one extra-base hit.
Bucknell scored its lone run of the first game in the fourth inning when Ashley Carlson (Fairless Hills, Pa./Pennsbury) laid down a two-out bunt that the pitcher, Jillian Kiley, fielded cleanly. However, Kiley sailed the throw over the first baseman's head, allowing Meghan Feller to race around and score from first.
Bucknell outhit Towson 9-7 and left 10 runners on base in the game, including seven in the first three innings. Feller, who is 15 for her last 31 at the plate, posted the second three-hit game of her career with three singles and a walk from the leadoff position. Ashley Beans (Hanover, Pa./Hanover) recorded a pair of infield singles as four of the Bison's nine hits were infield singles.
Kiley (9-10) got the win for the Tigers by pitching 4.0 innings and allowing just the one run despite giving up eight hits and dealing with two errors. She struck out five and did not walk a batter. Jessica Fisher relieved her and picked up the save by allowing just two baserunners and recording a pair of 1-2-3 innings in her 3.0 innings of work.
Bucknell left seven more runners on base in the second game as they drew four walks and recorded five hits, but could not push a run across. The Bison did have runners on first and second with Lauren Wible (Dover, Pa./Dover) coming to the plate trailing 1-0 in the third inning. That forced Towson to remove starter Claire Rietmann-Grout, who had already walked three hitters in the first 2.1 innings, in favor of Fisher. Fisher (12-11) proceeded to get Wible and Kris Devore (Washington, Pa./Trinity) to ground out and preserve the lead.
The Bison did not threaten again against Fisher until the seventh inning when Heather Haskin (Noblesville, Ind./Thomas Scecina) led off with a single into center. Pinch runner Ashley Sarnecky (Wilmington, Del./Charter School of Wilmington) moved to second on a one-out bunt by Carlson, and advanced to third when Damara Farkas (Louisville, Ohio/Louisville) reached on an infield single. Feller, who already had four hits in the doubleheader, came to the plate with Sarnecky the tying run on third. Feller popped up to short to end the game.
Fisher allowed just three hits and walked one in her 4.2 innings.
Led by Aimee Rosa's three hits and Hastings' two, Towson tallied nine hits as a team and left 11 runners on base. The Tigers scored the lone run of the game in the third inning when Rosa lofted an RBI single into left field to score Hastings from second. Farkas' throw from left actually beat Hastings home, but she was called safe due to the catcher, Erin Curatola (River Edge, N.J./River Dell) blocking the plate before the ball arrived.
Haley (2-4) lasted 4.0 innings and allowed just six hits, one run and one walk while striking out a career-high four hitters. Muirhead relieved her and allowed two baserunners in each of her three innings, but was able to work out of the jams unscathed each time.
Bucknell (10-30) plays another non-league doubleheader Thursday when it travels to Loudonville, N.Y., to take on Siena. The twinbill is slated for a 4 p.m. start.
