Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Holy Cross
Bucknell Softball Sweeps Holy Cross 8-0 & 8-1 in Home Opener
4/3/2010 8:00:00 AM | Softball
April 3, 2010
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell softball won its third straight game with a sweep over Holy Cross in its home-opening doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. The Bison (10-8, 2-0) shut out the Crusaders (4-16, 0-2) 8-0 in five innings in game one, and followed with an equally impressive performance in game two, winning 8-1. Bucknell tallied a combined 21 hits, led by Alison Ford (Suisun City, Calif./Fairfield), who finished 4-for-7 with three RBI and Lauren Fry (Plainfield, N.J./Plainfield), who hit 4-for-5 with four runs in both games.
Fry was 1-for-1 in the opener, and that hit came in the Bison's first at-bat of the day. The junior led off the game with a double to left field. She later scored as Ford singled her home to give Bucknell a 1-0 lead.
The Bison added two more runs in the second inning. Elyse Colmenero (Fresno, Calif./Central) was active in her first offensive opportunity, earning a single, stealing her first base of the season and scoring on an RBI single from Mary Pavlovich (Johnstown, Pa./Richland). Fry claimed Bucknell's second run of the frame. After walking to reach base, she eventually scored on a wild pitch.
The 3-0 Bucknell advantage held until the fourth inning when the Bison made it 7-0. Alyssa Okita (Davis, Calif./Davis) and Colmenero singled with one out and Fry drew her second walk of the day to load the bases for Pavlovich. Pavlovich then dropped a two-RBI single in along the left field line. The inning's final runs came on another two-RBI single, this time off Ford's bat up the middle.
Needing just one more run to make it a short outing, Jane Messersmith (Costa Mesa, Calif./Newport Harbor) got right to work at the plate. The sophomore singled to lead off the inning and was replaced on the base paths by Kathryn Wilkinson (Plantation, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas). The move was a good one as Wilkinson advanced to second base on a wild pitch, putting her in position to steal third. She then scored the Bison's eighth run as Jessie Snyder (Tacoma, Wash./Stadium) grounded out to second.
Pavlovich and Ford had nearly identical numbers at the plate as both finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs. Colmenero also hit 2-for-2 with a pair of runs.
Bridget Gates (Milford, Conn./Academy of Our Lady of Mercy Lauralton Hall) recorded her second shutout of the season, allowing just four hits and striking out two in the complete game. Her record improves to 5-2. Taking the loss was the Crusaders' Amanda Audette (2-5), who gave up eight runs on 10 hits in 4.1 innings pitched.
Bucknell took its strong all-around game straight into game two. The Bison blew the contest open in the first inning, sending 10 batters to the plate and taking an early 6-0 lead. Fry proved to be the sparkplug again as she led off with a single to center field. A sacrifice bunt from Pavlovich turned out to be unnecessary as Messersmith drilled a triple into left center field for 1-0. Ford followed that with her fourth RBI of the day, singling past the pitcher to score her younger teammate.
The Crusaders' Katie Alexander faced just one more batter, walking Shelly McCormack (Humble, Texas/Kingwood), before being forced from the game after recording only one out. Reliever Jenna Legros got Snyder to fly out, but she did little better to contain the Bison offense. Kara Sullivan (Wading River, N.Y./Shoreham-Wading River) drew a walk to load the bases, and Okita cleared the bases with the second triple of the inning. Sherry Finkel (Morgantown, W. Va./University) tagged on one more run with an RBI single up the middle to put Bucknell comfortably in front 6-1 with most of the game remaining.
Neither team was able to put together too much offense in the remaining frames as Messersmith returned to her old ways in the pitchers' circle. Messersmith allowed just one run on an RBI single from Holy Cross' Gwen Reimer in the fifth inning to collect her first win of the season. Bucknell added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth, but it was not necessary as Messersmith, who struck out a season-high six batters, improved to 1-4 on the year in her complete game victory.
Alexander fell to 1-3 on the season by giving up four runs on three hits in 0.1 innings of work. Legros also allowed four runs on eight hits in 5.2 innings in relief.
Five Bison recorded multiple hits in the contest, led by Fry at 3-for-4, Messersmith and Ford at 2-for-4, and Okita and Finkel at 2-for-3. Okita also had three RBI, while Messersmith added two.
Fry is batting a team-best .440 this season with a squad-high 21 runs scored. Finkel also improved her average to .378 (17-45).
The same two teams will meet again tomorrow for the final doubleheader of the series. Action at the Bucknell Softball Field begins at 12 p.m. Live stats on GameTracker will be available at BucknellBison.com. The games will also be broadcast live on the radio at WVBU 90.5 and online at SportsJuice.com.
