Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Lehigh*
Bucknell Softball Drops Two Close Games to Patriot League-Leading Lehigh
4/9/2006 8:00:00 AM | Softball
April 9, 2006
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Bucknell used a two-run single from Heather Haskin (Noblesville, Ind./Thomas Scecina) to key a three-run seventh inning and force extra innings in the opener of a Patriot League softball doubleheader Sunday afternoon at Kaufman Field, but fell 4-3 in eight innings to Lehigh, which has now won 40 consecutive regular season conference games. The Bison fell 3-1 in the second contest.
In game one, Bucknell (8-22, 2-4 PL) entered the seventh inning with just two hits and no runs off Lehigh starter Lisa Sweeney (14-3). However, after Sweeney got the first out, four straight Bison recorded singles, capped by Haskin's two-run, bases-loaded single. After the second out was recorded, shortstop Mendy Martin misplayed a grounder by Jennifer James (Ambler, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) that allowed the third run to score and tie the game.
The Mountain Hawks failed to score in the bottom of the seventh and the Bison did the same in the top of the eighth. Lauren Haney led off the bottom of the eighth with a single off reliever Tanya Roth (1-5) (Mountain Lakes, N.J./Mountain Lakes). Mary Wieder sacrificed and reached on a throwing error by catcher Lauren Litts (East Stroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg), putting runners on first and third with nobody out. Julie Sterrett then delivered a sacrifice fly to left field to plate Torborg with the winning run.
Christie Wiest (Centre Hall, Pa./Penns Valley) started for Bucknell and gave up just five hits and one run in five innings of work as she left the game trailing 1-0. Roth relieved her one hitter into the sixth inning and yielded three hits and three runs in 2.1 innings.
Sweeney pitched the first of two complete games for Lehigh pitchers, going 8.0 innings and giving up six hits, three runs and two earned runs, while walking one and striking out seven.
In the second game, Lehigh took an early lead when Martin laced an RBI single to center in the bottom of the second to put the Mountain Hawks up 1-0 against Bison starter Meaghan Haley (1-3) (Henderson, Nev./Green Valley).
The Bison quickly tied the score when Kris Devore (Washington, Pa./Trinity) hit a two-out, bases-loaded single to center that scored leadoff hitter Ashley Carlson (Fairless Hills, Pa./Pennsbury). With two hits in the second game, and a 3-for-6 performance in the doubleheader, Devore saw her team-leading average jump to .358.
Bucknell would manage just three singles the rest of the way off Lehigh starter Kate Arico (6-3).
The Mountain Hawks took the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth when Megan Conrad scored on a wild pitch by Haley. They tacked on an insurance run in the sixth off Roth, who relieved Haley and gave up hits to both of the batters she faced. Meg Muirhead (Glendale, Calif./Flintridge Academy) came on to strike out Conrad to end the inning with runners on first and third.
Arico retired the side in order in the top of the seventh as the Bison could not pull off another late-inning comeback. Arico retired the last eight batters she faced as she scattered eight hits in her 7.0 innings.
Haley pitched well for Bucknell, giving up just four hits in 5.2 innings. She walked just one and struck out two while yielding just two runs.
Carlson, who was 4-for-8 in the doubleheader with two hits in each game, and Devore combined for seven of Bucknell's 14 hits in the two games. Litts and Lauren Wible (Dover, Pa./Dover), two of the best offensive players on the Bison, managed just one hit in 13 combined at bats Sunday.
Bucknell and Lehigh will square off in a doubleheader Monday. The twinbill was originally slated for Saturday, but was postponed to Monday because of rain in the Lehigh Valley. First pitch Monday is slated for 3:30 p.m.
