Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
George Mason
Bucknell Softball Splits with George Mason, Cornell on Opening Day
3/6/2010 7:00:00 AM | Softball
March 6, 2010
FAIRFAX, Va. - Mary Pavlovich had four hits, drove in four runs and hit what proved to be a game-winning three-run home run on opening day of the 2010 season for the Bucknell softball team Saturday, which defeated George Mason, 6-3, and lost to Cornell, 10-6, on the first day of the George Mason Invitational. The Bison scored all six runs in the final two innings against the Patriots, while they were plagued by three errors that led to four unearned runs against the Big Red.
Against host George Mason, Bucknell had just one hit - a Sherry Finkel double in the third - through the first five innings off Patriots starter Miranda Cranford. On the flip side, George Mason recorded just one hit through the first four innings off Bison starter Liz Fanning and reliever Bridget Gates.
The Patriots finally broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth with three unearned runs off Gates.
The Bison chipped away at their deficit with two runs in the top of the sixth on an Alison Ford two-run double.
Pavlovich then came to the plate with the score tied at 3-3 in the top of the seventh and blasted a two-out, three-run home run to center. Those runs proved to be the winning margin as Gates, a freshman in her first game, retired the side in order in the bottom of the seventh for her first career win.
Finkel posted a two-hit game, while all six of Bucknell's hits against George Mason came from juniors or seniors.
In the second game, Pavlovich was 3-for-3, Finkel posted her second straight two-hit contest and freshman Mary Horton was 2-for-2 from the leadoff spot, but the Big Red broke open a 3-2 game with a five-run fifth inning thanks to a leadoff homer by Menaker, four other hits, one error and a passed ball.
The Bison tried to come back with two runs in both the sixth and seventh innings, but it was not enough. Jessie Snyder doubled home the runs in the sixth, while Pavlovich had an RBI double and Shelly McCormack laced an RBI single in the seventh.
Freshman right-hander Alex MacLean (0-1) started for the Bison and went 5.0 innings in her first career appearance, but she yielded four hits and three walks. She did record five strikeouts. Game one starter Fanning pitched the sixth inning and was touched for six hits and six runs.
Bucknell (1-1) will wrap up play at the George Mason Invitational on Sunday with a game against Marist (9 a.m.) and a rematch with Cornell (1:30 p.m.).
