Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Charlotte
Bucknell Softball Opens Season with Pair of Losses at Charlotte Green and White Tournament
2/17/2007 7:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 17, 2007
Box Score - Bucknell vs. Charlotte
Box Score - Bucknell vs. North Carolina A&T
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The Bucknell softball team opened its 2007 season Saturday at the Charlotte Green and White Tournament with a pair of tight losses. Charlotte came back to beat the Bison 8-4 in the opener, while Bucknell's comeback attempt against North Carolina A&T fell short in the nightcap as the Aggies held off the Bison 6-4.
With eight runs on the day, Bucknell (0-2) totaled its most runs in its first two games of the season since 2000.
Lauren Litts (East Stroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg) was 2-for-3 with three RBI in the opener against the 49ers. She helped put the Bison up 2-0 in the bottom of the first with an RBI single to left. She later scored on an error by second baseman Sarah Malene.
Back-to-back RBI singles by Kristi Killough and Becky Matthews in the top of the third broke up Christie Wiest's (Centre Hall, Pa./Penns Valley) shutout and evened the score. However, the Bison went back on top by two runs when Litts doubled to left to score Ashley Carlson (Fairless Hills, Pa./Pennsbury) and Erin Curatola (River Edge, N.J./River Dell). Both had reached on bunt singles.
Charlotte starter Christy Murray then settled down and retired 10 Bucknell hitters in a row. The Bison did get runners to second and third with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but could not push any runs across.
Charlotte (7-0) scored at least one run in each of the final five innings. Wiest (0-1) pitched the first four innings and gave up four runs on seven hits and struck out one while walking four. Meaghan Haley (Henderson, Nev./Green Valley) replaced her in the beginning of the fifth and four hits and four runs, including a home run to Jamie Wellons in the top of the seventh. Wiest then returned and retired three of the four hitters she faced in the final frame.
Bucknell scored its four runs on five hits and committed a pair of errors. Charlotte pounded out 12 hits, although Malene and Killough were the only 49ers to record more than one hit. Malene, Cee Brooks and Wellons all hit home runs, with Brooks and Malene's accounting for two runs each.
In the second game Bucknell had a pair of home runs itself as freshmen Mary Pavlovich (Johnstown, Pa./Richland) and Sherry Finkel (Morgantown, W. Va./University) each hit her first career round-tripper. Finkel's was a solo shot in the top of the fourth to cut the Bison deficit to 2-1. It also broke up Sasha Philpot's no-hitter.
After the Aggies knocked Bison starting pitcher Katie McDonald (York, Pa./West York Area) from the game with a four-run fourth inning to take a commanding 6-2 lead, Pavlovich smacked a one out, three-run home run in the fifth. That was the last hit of the game for the Bison as Philpot settled down and retired eight of the next nine hitters.
Bucknell missed a golden opportunity in the third inning when Ashley Beans (Hanover, Pa./Hanover), Alyssa Okita (Davis, Calif./Davis), Curatola and Monica Grinage (Rankin, Pa./Shady Side Academy) all drew walks. However, the Bison were unable to score as Beans was caught stealing and Pavlovich grounded to third with two outs and the bases loaded.
McDonald (0-1) went the first four innings for Bucknell as she made her second career start. She yielded six hits, six runs, four walks and struck out five. Meg Muirhead (Glendale, Calif./Flintridge Academy) relieved her and allowed just three hits over the final two innings as she struck out a pair of North Carolina A&T (2-0) hitters.
For the day, Curatola, Beans and Litts each recorded two hits to lead the Bison.
Bucknell returns to action Sunday on the final day of the Charlotte Green and White Tournament. The Bison will face Eastern Kentucky at 10:30 a.m. and then play a yet-to-be-determined foe in the consolation game at 2:30 p.m.
