Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Lafayette*
Bucknell Softball Splits Twin Bill with Lafayette, Remains in Patriot League Playoff Hunt
4/29/2006 8:00:00 AM | Softball
April 29, 2006
EASTON, Pa. -- Freshman Meaghan Haley (Henderson, Nev./Green Valley) tossed a complete-game six-hitter and Bucknell used a 10-hit offensive attack to take game two of a critical Patriot League doubleheader at Lafayette on Saturday. The 6-2 victory in the nightcap earned the Bison a split after the Leopards won the opener 7-6 in dramatic fashion, as Sarah Price hit a walk-off three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Now 15-35 overall and 8-10 in the Patriot League, Bucknell's postseason hopes boil down to the outcome of two monumental Sunday afternoon doubleheaders, making for one of the most exciting regular-season finishes in years.
Also on Saturday, first-place Lehigh completed a four-game sweep of Army, and Colgate took the first two in a four-game series with Holy Cross. As a result, there are now four teams separated by just a half game for the final three Patriot League Tournament spots. Army temporarily sits alone in second place at 9-11, but Bucknell, Lafayette and Colgate are all a breath behind at 8-10 with season-ending doubleheaders to play on Sunday.
The Bison finish up with two more at Lafayette (17-26, 8-10) on Sunday, while Colgate again hosts a doubleheader with last-place Holy Cross, which has been eliminated from postseason contention.
In Saturday's nightcap in Easton, Haley (4-5) surrendered single runs in the first and third innings but was in complete command the rest of the way. The Bison rookie struck out four and walked two while allowing six hits over seven innings. The Leopards managed only three baserunners over the final four innings.
Bucknell snapped a 2-2 tie with a pair of runs in the fourth, courtesy of a sacrifice fly by Michelle Danish (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth) and an RBI single by Erin Curatola (River Edge, N.J./River Dell). Another run-scoring single by Curatola in the sixth made it 5-2, and the Bison picked up another insurance tally in the seventh on an RBI fielders choice by Jennifer James (Ambler, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham).
Game one was a frustrating one for the Bison, who jumped out to a 4-0 lead and still held a 6-4 cushion entering the bottom of the seventh, only to see Lafayette win it on Price's dramatic home run.
The loss spoiled three-hit games from Curatola, James and Lauren Litts (East Stroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg), who had five hits in the doubleheader, including her school record-tying eighth home run of the season. The two-run round-tripper, which tied teammate Lauren Wible's (Dover, Pa./Dover) record set a year ago, staked starting pitcher Christie Wiest (Centre Hall, Pa./Penns Valley) to a 4-0 lead.
Wiest took a shutout into the fifth before Lafayette got going offensively. The Leopards plated two in the fifth on an RBI single by Jill Masterson and a bases loaded walk issued to Kristen Ruckno.
The Bison went up 5-2 on Litts' RBI double in the sixth, but the Leopards pulled within 5-4 in the bottom of the frame. After a one-out walk, Tanya Roth (Mountain Lakes, N.J./Mountain Lakes) relieved Wiest in the circle, and Sara Bussiere promptly greeted her with a run-scoring double into the left-field corner. After a wild pitch, Gianna Lopreato plated the run with a sac fly.
Again Bucknell added some insurance in the top of the seventh on a two-out bases-loaded walk by Ashley Beans (Hanover, Pa./Hanover). But Roth (2-7) walked the first two Leopards in the bottom of the seventh, then Price deposited one over the left field fence to help Lafayette end a five-game losing streak to the Bison.
Lauren Belowich (10-12), who was the starter and losing pitcher in game two, picked up the victory in relief in the opener.
Bucknell banged out 24 hits in the two games, including five each from Litts and Curatola.
Sunday's doubleheader begins at noon at Lafayette's Metzgar Field.
