Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Army
Bucknell Softball Eliminated from Postseason as Army Sweeps Day-One Doubleheader
4/30/2011 8:00:00 AM | Softball
April 30, 2011
WEST POINT, N.Y. - Bucknell softball lost both ends of its doubleheader with Army at West Point, N.Y., on Saturday, ending its hopes of a Patriot League Tournament berth. The Black Knights' Haley Pypes recorded a no-hitter in the first contest of the day, leading her team to a 3-0 decision. Army (26-22, 8-10) then secured its postseason plans with a 6-1 win over the Bison (13-35, 4-14).
Bucknell's offense struggled all day, going hitless in game one and then connecting for just three hits in game two. Pypes (14-11) struck out seven in her no-hitter but walked six to give the Bison their best look at scoring some runs. Just three Bison got into scoring position, however, and none of them reached third base.
Alex MacLean (Northampton, Pa./Northampton Area) put up a strong pitching performance for the Orange and Blue, but the sophomore did not receive the run support she needed. MacLean (7-18) gave up three runs on just four hits. Army recorded two hits in the first two innings - an RBI triple from Alexis AuBuchon in the first and a home run from Pypes in the second. MacLean faced the minimum number of batters in each of the next three innings before the Black Knights added a third run to their score for insurance. Alex Reynolds connected for an RBI double in the sixth to score April Ortenzo.
MacLean struck out three batters and walked one in her complete game. Her strikeout totals are now 113 for the season and 205 for her career.
Pypes got her second win of the day and her 14th of the season with a three-hit outing to wrap up play. Bucknell did not waste much time in keeping the Black Knights' freshman from a second no-hitter as Alison Ford (Suisun City, Calif./Fairfield) singled to center field with two outs in the first inning. The senior stole her 10th base of the season but couldn't make it home before the final out.
Bucknell had another scoring opportunity in the second inning, putting runners on second and third with one out. The Bison were unable to cash in on Pypes' control miscues after Laura Sandford (New Egypt, N.J./New Egypt) was hit by a pitch and Bridget Gates (Milford, Conn./Academy of Our Lady of Mercy Lauralton Hall) drew a walk. Pypes also threw two wild pitches in the inning, but again no one advanced past third before the end of the frame.
Bucknell finally got in the board in the top of the sixth. Elyse Colmenero (Fresno, Calif./Central) homered to left field to lead off the inning. That was the end of the offense, as the Bison took the 6-1 loss.
It took Army a couple of innings to get to Gates and put its own runs on the board. A single from Amanda Nguyen followed by a pair of groundouts gave the Black Knights their first lead in the third inning. Nguyen later drilled a triple to right center field in the fourth inning and collected two RBI in the process. By the end of the frame, Army was up 4-0.
Two more runs in the fifth gave the Black Knights a 6-0 lead thanks in part to an RBI double off the bat of Pypes. In addition to her two pitching victories, Pypes finished the day 4-for-5 with two runs and two RBI at the plate.
Gates (6-17) took the loss in the pitcher's circle, allowing all six runs on 10 hits.
Bucknell and Army will meet again tomorrow for a 1 p.m. doubleheader. The games' outcomes will have no impact on the postseason potential as Army has already clinched the final Patriot League Tournament berth with today's sweep.
