Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Softball Takes On Towson Tigers Tuesday
3/31/2009 8:00:00 AM | Softball
March 31, 2009
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Bucknell softball continues its steady road schedule with a doubleheader against the Towson Tigers at 3 p.m. on Tuesday. Live stats for the non-conference showdown in Towson, Md., will be available at TowsonTigers.com.
Bucknell (10-16, 2-2) trails in the all-time series with Towson (18-9, 5-1), 18-34. The Bison dropped both games last season, 8-4 and 7-3. Bucknell's last victory over the Tigers came in 2005 with a 3-0 decision. Towson has won each of the last seven meetings and 18 of the last 21.
LAST TIME OUT
- Bucknell has struggled to connect its wins, going 1-1 in each of its last three doubleheaders. After splitting with Drexel, the Bison then went 2-2 in their first Patriot League series at Holy Cross.
- The Bison won the opening contest in Worcester, Mass., 11-3, in six innings, then fell, 7-5, in game two. Katie McDonald (York, Pa./West York Area) had one of her strongest outings of the season in game one, allowing three runs on seven hits. She also struck out six and walked only one batter. Alison Ford (Suison, Calif./Fairfield) and Kristin Frick (West Chester, Pa./Bishop Shanahan) exhibited some power in the game as well, as each player connected for a home run. It was the second of the season for Ford and the first for Frick. Frick hit 2-for-3 with three RBI and three runs in the game and followed it with a 2-for-2 performance in the day's second game.
- Day two of the series featured another split. Bucknell won the first game, 10-2 in five innings, before dropping the second, 5-0. Jane Messersmith (Newport Beach, Calif./Newport Harbor) earned the win in the first contest, giving up two runs on three hits with two strikeouts. The Bison sent 10 batters to the plate in the first inning and scored five of them to take the early lead. The squad's bats cooled down in game two, as it managed just two hits. Jessie Snyder (Tacoma, Wash./Stadium) doubled in the third, and Cassie Lloyd (Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg) singled up the middle in the sixth.
- McDonald was named the Patriot League Pitcher of the Week on Monday for her success against Drexel and in the first two games against Holy Cross. She concluded the week with a 2-0 record and a 2.42 earned run average. In two starts and one relief appearance, she posted 12 strikeouts, six of which came in the opening contest with the Crusaders.
ABOUT THE TIGERS
- Towson is 18-9 overall and 5-1 in the Colonial Athletic Association this year. Three of those conference wins came last weekend as the Tigers swept George Mason in Towson, Md. Towson boasts a six-game winning streak in which it has outscored its opponents 46-13. The squad is also 5-0 in home games this spring.
- The Tigers and Bucknell have only one common opponent this year in Columbia. Towson defeated the Lions 17-5, while Bucknell fell 3-2.
- Mindy Bean leads the Tigers offensively with a .385 (35-for-91) batting average, 10 doubles and 28 RBI. Emily Gould is close behind with a .381 (32-for-84) average at the plate. Shannon Johnston has dominated in the pitchers' circle, posting a 10-4 record and 1.47 ERA. Dominique Ortega has also seen her share of success, going 5-3 with a 2.05 ERA.
- Towson completed the 2008 season with a 37-26 overall record and 12-8 in the CAA, placing it fourth in the conference. Returning Tigers Bean and Stef Streets were named to the conference's second team. Bean (7) and Kim Lempa (5) also claimed the CAA's top two spots in triples last year.
UP NEXT
Bucknell returns home for more Patriot League action with a four-game series against Lafayette on April 4-5. Saturday's doubleheader will begin at 1 p.m., while Sunday's play kicks off at noon. Live stats for all four contests will be available on BucknellBison.com.
