Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Binghamton
Bucknell Softball Drops Mason Invite Opener 5-1 to Binghamton
3/11/2011 7:00:00 AM | Softball
March 11, 2011
FAIRFAX, Va. - Bucknell softball fell behind early and was not able to make up enough ground, taking a 5-1 loss to Binghamton at the Mason Invitational on Friday afternoon. The Bearcats plated three in the first inning to give them the lead for good in the first day of the tournament at the George Mason Softball Complex.
Three straight hits followed by a sacrifice fly in the bottom half of the first inning gave Binghamton (3-2) a 3-0 lead. Jessica Phillips did much of the damage with a two-RBI double. Bucknell (1-9) pitcher Alex MacLean (Northampton, Pa./Northampton) got out of the inning by striking out the final two batters.
Binghamton continued to threaten in the next two innings as well. A fourth run was put up on the board in the fourth inning as Briana Andrews doubled to left center field.
Bucknell did most of its work with its back against the wall. Through the first five innings, only one hit came with less than two outs. That came off the bat of Meredith Dickson (Fogelsville, Pa./Southern Lehigh), who doubled to left center in the first inning. Dickson was stranded on third.
The Bison scored its first run with two outs. Alison Ford (Suisun City, Calif./Fairfield) drilled a single to the outfield to get the offense going. Lauren Fry (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield), Kathryn Wilkinson (Plantation, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas) and Mallory Lyons (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville Area) drew back-to-back walks. Lyons' at-bat forced in Ford, to bring Bucknell within two runs at 3-1.
Ford finished the contest 1-for-2 with a run and two walks at the plate.
At the end of the game, Bucknell left 11 on base, including seven in scoring position.
Rhoda Marsteller earned the win for Binghamton. Marsteller allowed one run on four hits in 5.0 innings of work. She struck out one and walked six.
Taking the loss for Bucknell was MacLean, who fell to 1-6 on the year. MacLean struck out six batters and walked four. All five runs were earned and came on nine hits in her 6.0 innings.
Bucknell will be back in action tomorrow for a pair of contests. The Bison will start with a 12:15 p.m. matchup with Cornell, followed by a 2:30 p.m. rematch with Binghamton.
