Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Holy Cross
Bucknell Softball Clinches PL Tournament Berth with Doubleheader Sweep of Holy Cross, 6-0 & 9-1
4/26/2008 8:00:00 AM | Softball
April 26, 2008
Game 1 Box Score: Bucknell 6, Holy Cross 0 | Game 2 Box Score: Bucknell 9, Holy Cross 1 (6 in.) | Photo Gallery 
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Christie Wiest (Centre Hall, Pa./Penns Valley) pitched a three-hitter and recorded her career-high third shutout of the season in game one and Kristin Frick (West Chester, Pa./Bishop Shanahan) hit a career-high two home runs in game two as the Bucknell softball team sealed a berth in the Patriot League Tournament with a doubleheader sweep of Holy Cross Saturday at West Fields. The Bison won the first game 6-0 and the second by a 9-1 tally in six innings.
With the two victories, Bucknell improved to 20-27 overall and 11-7 in Patriot League play. It is the seventh 20-win season in program history, while the 11 Patriot League wins are third-most, trailing the 12 victories the 1998 and 1999 squads posted. The Bison also clinched their first Patriot League Tournament berth since 2005.
Frick became the fifth Bison to hit two home runs in one game, and the first since Lauren Wible hit a pair against Holy Cross in 2005. Overall, Bucknell connected on five home runs in the doubleheader, equaling the 2005 squad for the most home runs in program history (20). Cassie Lloyd (Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg) and Mary Pavlovich (Johnstown, Pa./Richland) hit home runs in game one, while Ashley Beans (Hanover, Pa./Hanover) powered one over the center field fence in game two.
Wiest (11-12), who along with classmates Erin Curatola (River Edge, N.J./River Dell) and Heather Haskin (Noblesville, Ind./Thomas Scecina), was honored in a pregame Senior Day ceremony, pitched masterfully in game one, retiring the final 11 hitters she faced and allowing no more than four Crusader batters to hit in any inning. Holy Cross (8-27, 3-11), managed just three singles and one walk off her, but two of those runners were erased trying to steal second.
Bucknell went up 2-0 in game one when Pavlovich hit a two-run home run over the right-field fence in the bottom of the second. It was the second home run of the season for Pavlovich, who somehow snuck the ball over the fence despite hitting it off the handle of the bat.
Later, the Bison plated two more runs in both the fifth and sixth innings as the Crusaders committed two of their four errors in the contest in those frames. Lauren Fry (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) brought home the first run in the fifth with a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Frick. Fry was 0-for-2 in the game, but had two runs batted in thanks to getting hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the sixth.
Curatola picked up her team-high 32nd RBI of the season with a single to right in the fifth, while Lloyd connected on a leadoff home run in the sixth. It was her team-high fourth round-tripper of the year.
Natalie Cruz (1-12) started game one for Holy Cross and yielded nine hits and six runs in 6.0 innings. However, just three of those runs were earned. She pitched solidly over the first four innings as she retired the Bison in order twice and allowed just three hits over that span, with all of them coming in the second inning.
Ashley Carlson (Fairless Hills, Pa./Pennsbury) and Pavlovich each posted two-hit outings in game one to lead the Bison offense. Fry and Pavlovich each had two RBIs in the contest as well.
The Bucknell pitching remained strong in game two with starter Heather Haskin (1-2) picking up the first win of her career and reliever Katie McDonald (York, Pa./West York Area) registering the first save of her career. Haskin pitched 3.2 innings, yielded three hits and one run while striking out one. Bison head coach Heather Rakosik removed her after a two-out, run-scoring double to left by Mandy Correale plated the only run of the doubleheader for Holy Cross. McDonald then yielded just one hit and one walk over the final 2.1 innings for the save.
While the Bucknell pitching was strong in game two, the real story was Frick. The junior entered the game with one career home run and she hit a pair deep over the left-field fence from her No. 9 spot in the batting order. She finished 3-for-3 with four RBIs and two runs scored as she added a line-drive double to right-center, setting up Bucknell's final run in the sixth inning.
The bottom two spots in the Bison batting order paved the way for the rout as Jessie Snyder (Tacoma, Wash./Stadium) was 2-for-2 with two runs scored and pinch hitter Alyssa Okita was 1-for-1 with one run scored. Frick, Snyder and Okita were a combined 6-for-6 with five runs scored.
After plating four runs off started Amanda Audette (4-7) in the third inning thanks to a Fry double, an Elyse Colmenero (Fresno, Calif./Central) sacrifice fly and a Frick home run, Bucknell scored four more times in the fourth inning off reliever Katie Alexander. Frick hit her second home run off Alexander and then two batters later Beans followed with a two-run shot of her own. It was the second home run of the season for Beans, who now has three in her three-year career.
After failing to score in the fifth, Bucknell ended the game in the sixth when a single through the left side by Beans scored Okita from third. That run came off Erin Fleming, who gave up three hits to the four batters she faced in the sixth inning.
Carlson added two more hits in the nightcap, while Beans and Fry also had multiple hits. That trio made up the top third of the lineup that combined to go 6-for-11 with four runs scored and four RBIs in the contest.
Colmenero, who entered the game hitting .490 in Patriot League play, had one hit in each end of the doubleheader to extend her hitting streak to six games.
The doubleheader was moved up to a 10 a.m. start due to the threat of rain in the forecast. However, the two games were played with intermittent sun shining on the field. Sunday's doubleheader, which will conclude the regular season for Bucknell, will begin at 12 p.m. The Bison have now won 14 of their last 16 meetings against the Crusaders.
