Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Longwood
Ford Finds Swing but Bucknell Softball Falls 6-2 at Longwood
2/27/2011 7:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 27, 2011
FARMVILLE, Va. - Bucknell softball was forced to play catch-up for yet another game, but Longwood never gave the Bison a look at the upset, winning 6-2 in the Longwood Classic at Lancer Field on Sunday afternoon. Bucknell (1-8) closed out its second weekend of tournament play without a win.
Hours after hitting 2-for-3 in Bucknell's 8-1 loss to Quinnipiac, Alison Ford (Suisun City, Calif./Fairfield) picked up where she left off. The senior went 3-for-4 at the plate against the Lancers (8-0) and picked up an RBI with a single in the seventh inning. In four games this weekend, Ford hit .385 (5-13) to lead the team offensively.
Ford's third single of the day brought home Jessie Snyder (Tacoma, Wash./Stadium), who had doubled to right center to lead off the bottom of the seventh. By the time Ford came to the plate, however, there were already two outs. Ford put a shot into centerfield, but Kara Sullivan (Wading River, N.Y./Shoreham-Wading River) struck out swinging to end the game and Bucknell went down 6-2.
The game had remained close through several innings. Longwood earned its first run in the third inning on an RBI single from Tricia Nelson, and Bucknell tied it up in the fourth. Bridget Gates (Milford, Conn./Academy of Our Lady of Mercy Lauralton Hall) singled up the middle, and the pinch-running Caryn Connors (Western Springs, Ill./Lyons Township) scored as Kathryn Wilkinson (Plantation, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas) claimed a two-out base hit.
The Lancers hit back-to-back singles to kick off the fifth inning. Ashley Kramer's turned into an unearned run after Nichole Simmons reached on an error, and Longwood took a 2-1 lead. Two more runs in the top of the sixth, again with some help from a fielding error and a pair of singles, gave the Lancers some breathing room. The seventh inning saw four more base hits for Longwood and that turned the score to 6-1.
Brittany Shotwell earned the win for the Lancers, bringing her season record to 2-0. Shotwell gave up one run on five hits in 4.0 innings of work before handing control over to Briana Wells. Wells earned the save with one run and three hits allowed.
Gates (0-3) took the loss in the pitcher's circle. The sophomore allowed three earned runs on nine hits while striking out two in 6.1 innings. Alex MacLean (Northampton, Pa./Northampton Area) got the final two outs of the game, giving up one hit in her appearance.
Longwood finished the game with 12 hits, and four different Lancers' tallied multiple hits. Kramer was 3-for-5, while Simmons went 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run.
Bucknell will have a week off before heading to Fairfax, Va., for the George Mason Invitational March 11-13.
