Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Lehigh
Bucknell Softball Splits at Lehigh, Rebounds for 5-1 Win After 9-1 Loss
4/24/2010 8:00:00 AM | Softball
April 24, 2010
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Bucknell softball remained in a second-place tie in the Patriot League standings, splitting a doubleheader with Lehigh at Kaufman Field on Saturday afternoon. The Bison (22-13-1, 9-5) took a 9-1 (6 inn.) loss in game one and rebounded for a 5-1 win in game two with the help of a pair of doubles from Mary Pavlovich (Johnstown, Pa./Richland) and four RBI from Shelly McCormack (Humble, Texas/Kingwood).
Both Bucknell and Lehigh are 9-5 in the Patriot League. They trail only Army, which sits atop the standings at 11-3 with six league games remaining in the regular season.
Bucknell suffered from a rough fourth inning in the day's opener but got its revenge in the second contest. McCormack brought in two teammates in the top of the third inning, giving the Bison a 2-0 lead. Pavlovich had started the ball rolling with a one-out double to center field and eventually advanced to third as Alison Ford (Suisun City, Calif./Fairfield) reached on a fielder's choice. Sherry Finkel (Morgantown, W. Va./University) walked to load the bases with two outs giving McCormack the opportunity for her two-RBI single to right field.
Lehigh got one of those runs back in the fourth inning on back-to-back singles, but the Mountain Hawks offense that had been so hot in the first game of the day was unable to repeat later in the afternoon. The run from Liz Lucas was all they would get. Combined with shaky pitching, that spelled disaster for Lehigh.
Bucknell continued to put runs on the board with more help from the middle of the order. Ford and Finkel recorded back-to-back singles of their own in the fifth inning. That forced a pitching change for the Mountain Hawks, knocking out Rebecca Bliss and bringing in Tiffany Curtis. Curtis promptly gave up a two-RBI double to McCormack, and Bucknell took the 4-1 lead.
The Bison were not done yet, adding one more run in the top of the sixth. Pavlovich hit her second double of the game with one out and scored as Jane Messersmith (Costa Mesa, Calif./Newport Harbor) followed with a triple. The Mountain Hawks were forced into their second pitching change of the day, and, although Briana Gaumer retired the final five Bison batters, the damage was already done.
Pavlovich finished 2-for-3 at the plate with both hits coming in the form of doubles. Messersmith and McCormack each hit 2-for-4 in the contest and combined for five RBI.
Although the offensive turnaround between games was key for Bucknell, the Bison also received another strong outing from Alex MacLean (Northampton, Pa./Northampton Area). The freshman pitcher (8-1) posted her team-leading ninth complete game, giving up a single run on seven hits and striking out a career-best eight batters in the process.
Bliss (7-7) took the loss after lasting 4.1 innings. The Mountain Hawks pitcher allowed four runs on eight hits.
Game two proved to be somewhat of a reversal of the day's opener. Both teams got strong pitching through the first three innings. Bucknell made the first move as Finkel connected for her second home run of the season in the fourth, giving the Bison a 1-0 advantage.
That lead disappeared in a hurry as Lehigh sent 12 batters to the plate in the bottom half of the inning. Jen Colquhoun walked to lead off the frame, and Lucas and Lauren Eichblatt singled to knot the score at one run apiece. The hits continued for Lehigh as Audra Wood doubled and Alex Cueva followed with a single to explode the Mountain Hawks' lead to five runs.
That marked the end of the day for Bridget Gates (Milford, Conn./Academy of Our Lady of Mercy Lauralton Hall) but not the Lehigh offense. The Mountain Hawks added two more runs before the end of the inning, giving them an 8-1 lead after four innings.
Gates (11-4) lasted 3.1 innings and allowed seven runs on hive hits before handing the ball over to Liz Fanning (Ventura, Calif./St. Bonaventure HS).
Lehigh scored its final run in the bottom of the sixth inning, making it a short day for Curtis (15-7), who earned the complete-game victory in 6.0 innings. Curtis gave up just three hits, walked two and struck out two in the outing.
By the end of the game, nine different Mountain Hawks had scored each of the team's runs.
Bucknell and Lehigh will have to wait to declare a series winner as Sunday's games have been postponed due to rain expected in the Bethlehem area. The doubleheader will be made up later in the week.
