Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Quinnipiac
Bucknell Softball Loses 8-1 to Quinnipiac at Longwood Classic
2/27/2011 7:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 27, 2011
FARMVILLE, Va. - Bucknell softball dropped its seventh straight game, losing 8-1 to Quinnipiac in the Longwood Classic at Lancer Field on Sunday afternoon. Alison Ford (Suisun City, Calif./Fairfield) stole home in the second inning to give the Bison (1-7) their lone run in the contest, but the top of the Bobcats' order spurred them to another win on the final day of the tournament.
Ford led off the second inning with an infield single before Kasey Segiel (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional) bunted her over to second. Quinnipiac pitcher Emily O'Keefe had some brief control issues. Ford advanced to third on a wild pitch, and Cassie Greenhawk (Easton, Md./Oxford) drew a walk to put runners on first and third with two out. Bucknell then executed a double steal that gave Ford the opportunity to come home and put the Bison ahead 1-0.
Bucknell managed just two more hits in the outing, one more off O'Keefe in the fourth inning and the final off reliever Heather Schwartzburg in the seventh. At the end of the game, the Bison had just one run to show for their four hits.
Quinnipiac (4-4) had much less trouble making good on their offensive opportunities. The Bobcats' eight runs came on nine hits. It was a sacrifice fly from Alejandra Alba that plated the first run, however, as Jordan Paolucci scored after drawing a walk to start the bottom of the second inning. Three more runs went up on the board in the bottom of the third thanks in part to a bases-clearing double from Kim Brzezinski.
Bucknell kept Quinnipiac's lead at 4-1 with a clean fourth inning, but the Bobcats' offense picked up again in the fifth. Three singles and a walk resulted in a fifth run.
Courtney Conover (Ocean Township, N.J./Ocean Township) replaced Alex MacLean (Northampton, Pa./Northampton) in the circle, but Quinnipiac tagged on three insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth inning despite the move. Lauren Salgado drew a lead-off walk, and Christy Cabrera and Jacqueline Ristow followed with back-to-back singles. Two stolen bases and a throwing error added to the damage, and Quinnipiac closed it out with an 8-1 victory.
Ford ended up with two of Bucknell's four hits, going 2-for-3 with a run at the plate. Jessie Snyder (Tacoma, Wash./Stadium) and a pinch-hitting Caryn Connors (Western Springs, Ill./Lyons Township) also recorded a hit.
MacLean took the loss for the Bison, dropping to 1-5 on the year. The sophomore gave up five runs on seven hits. She also struck out four and walked three in 5.0 innings of work. It was the first game in her six appearances this spring in which she finished with more walks than strikeouts.
O'Keefe improved to 2-2. She was credited with one run on three hits in 4.0 innings. Schwartzburg got the save.
Bucknell plays again today. The game with Longwood will begin at approximately 3:30 p.m. It will be head coach Heather Rakosik's 300th game at the helm for the Orange and Blue.
