Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Penn
Bucknell Softball Goes 1-1 in Day One of Rebel Spring Games
3/8/2009 8:00:00 AM | Softball
March 8, 2009
KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The Bucknell softball team split decisions in their first day of the Rebel Spring Games in Florida on Sunday. The Bison (6-6) opened the 10-day trip with a 7-6 loss to Butler in eight innings before bouncing back for a 4-3 win over Penn later in the day.
The Bison got behind Butler (1-5) early, giving up a run in the first inning. Bucknell's Katie McDonald (York, Pa./West York Area) earned the start and allowed a walk to the first batter, Erin Jackson. Jackson came around to score three batters later as Lauren McNulty singled to center. McDonald closed out the inning with minimal damage after getting the final Bulldog batter to pop out.
The second inning got off to a rocky start for the Bison as well. Erin Faulkenberry connected for a home run in her lead off appearance, bringing the score to 2-0 in favor of Butler. McDonald closed the inning strong for a second time, getting a ground out, strikeout and pop out to get out of danger.
Butler seemed to be running away with the game in the sixth inning as it scored three more runs. The Orange and Blue hung in, however. Sherry Finkel (Morgantown, W. Va./University) entered the game in Bucknell's half of the sixth inning to pinch hit, drawing a walk to lead off the inning and get her team's offensive production underway. Cassie Lloyd (Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg Area) doubled soon after, advancing Finkel to third and giving Bucknell its first look at a run.
Elyse Colmenero (Fresno, Calif./Central) continued the job with a single. Finkel scored on the play, and Lloyd replaced her at third base. Ashley Beans (Hanover, Pa./Hanover) pushed the score to 5-3 with a triple and still only one out in the inning.
The scoring outburst continued with Jessie Snyder (Tacoma, Wash./Stadium) who hit her second home run of the year to clear the bases. The sophomore's two-run shot tied the game at five and re-energized the Bison for what they hoped to be their sixth win of the season.
Neither team was able to break the tie in the seventh, taking the game into extra innings. With Butler to the plate first, the Bulldogs struck twice as Annie Dolan and McNulty each recorded RBIs and gave their team the 7-5 advantage.
Bucknell's Ashley Carlson (Fairless Hills, Pa./Pennsbury) followed Snyder's walk in the bottom of the eighth inning with a bunt single to load the bases. Lauren Trosch (Reisterstown, Md./McDonogh) had started the inning on second base according to extra-innings rules. Mary Pavlovich (Johnstown, Pa./Richland) hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Trosch and set the runs tally at 7-6. Despite the comeback effort, however, the game ended with a foul out to the Butler catcher, making the Bison's second consecutive come-from-behind victory impossible.
Liz Fanning (Ventura, Calif./St. Bonaventure HS), who replaced McDonald in the pitcher's circle in the seventh inning, received the loss despite giving up one hit and one earned run in two innings of work. The freshman (0-2) also struck out one while walking one. In six innings, McDonald gave up six hits and five runs, three of which were earned. The team's lone senior pitcher also posted six strikeouts and seven walks on the afternoon.
Butler's Kristen Malinkey earned the win, going two innings with one hit, one run and two strikeouts.
At the plate, Carlson finished the first game by going 3-4, while Lloyd went 2-3 with a run. Colmenero also went 2-3 with a run and an RBI. Beans and Snyder led with two RBI apiece.
Despite a disappointing finish to a well-fought contest, the Bison wasted no time taking the lead in their second game of the day. Against Penn (1-3), Bucknell scored its first run in the opening inning off a lineout from Alison Ford (Suison, Calif./Fairfield) that scored Carlson. Through one, the Orange and Blue had the quick 1-0 lead.
Penn eventually tied the contest in the third, but Beans took the advantage back for good in the fourth. The senior outfielder hit her first home run of the season that scored both Snyder and Ford. The three-run shot came directly after Penn changed pitchers and put Bucknell up 4-1.
Penn came close to earning its second win of the season by scoring runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Keiko Uraguchi tallied her second run of the day, and Sarah Patrick was plated in the sixth, but Penn only came as close as 4-3. Bucknell held on for the single-run victory to even its season record at 6-6.
Jane Messersmith (Newport Beach, Calif./Newport Harbor) claimed the win in the contest. It was the first of the freshman pitcher's (1-3) career in Orange and Blue. Messersmith went the distance, giving up three runs on seven hits with five walks and five strikeouts through seven innings.
Penn's Tory Satagaj took the loss after allowing three hits and three runs in 3.1 innings of work.
The Bison spread their offensive production around in the second game of the day. Colmenero finished 2-4, and Ford tallied a run and RBI while hitting 1-2. Beans' homerun came in her only at-bat of the game. She was also hit by a pitch in the second.
Bucknell continues its run at the Rebel Spring Games on Monday, March 9. Game one of the day is scheduled for 1 p.m. against Yale, while game two will begin at 5 p.m. against Sacred Heart.
