Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Army
Bucknell Softball Splits with Army in Season Finale
5/1/2011 8:00:00 AM | Softball
May 1, 2011
WEST POINT, N.Y. - Alex MacLean (Northampton, Pa./Northampton Area) threw a two-hit shutout, leading Bucknell softball to a 2-0 win against Army at West Point, N.Y., on Sunday, but the Black Knights powered their way to a 3-1 victory in the finale. The Bison finish the 2011 season 14-36 overall and 5-15 in the Patriot League.
MacLean gave up just two hits in the first game of the doubleheader. The sophomore faced more than three batters in an inning just once, allowing a walk and single in the fifth. The only other base hit for Army (27-23, 9-11) came in the second inning, but the Bison turned a double play to get the first two outs of the frame.
MacLean (8-18) relied on the defense to record many of the outs as she struck out just three in the complete-game shutout. It was MacLean's second shutout of the year. She finishes the season with 116 strikeouts, putting her second in program history.
Bucknell provided some offense early, scoring one run in both the second and third innings. Laura Sandford (New Egypt, N.J./New Egypt) doubled to lead off the second and advanced with some help from Sam Rollandi (San Carlos, Calif./Notre Dame Belmont) on a sacrifice bunt. She then scored as Meredith Dickson (Fogelsville, Pa./Northwestern Lehigh) singled to center field, and Bucknell took a 1-0 lead.
Another extra-base hit plated the Bison's other run. Alison Ford (Suisun City, Calif./Fairfield) recorded her first triple of the season and scored on an illegal pitch by Army's Shawna Bleyl.
Ford finishes her career leading Bucknell in a number of categories. The senior was tops of the squad in batting average (.408), doubles (12), home runs (4) and stolen bases (10-11) this season. Her .408 single-season average is the eighth-best in program history, and it improves her career batting average to .331, which is 10th in program annals.
On Sunday, Bucknell earned at least one base runner in each of the last three innings after Ford's triple. Mary Horton (Plantation, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas) singled in the fourth, and the Bison drew two walks in the fifth. Two more walks and a single from Jessie Snyder (Tacoma, Wash./Stadium) in the sixth inning capped off the offense.
Taking the loss for Army in the first game of the day was Bleyl (9-10). She allowed both runs on six hits and struck out four.
Bucknell ran up against Haley Pypes (15-11) in game two, and the Army rookie collected her third win of the series after allowing one run on four hits. She also struck out seven batters for the third time this weekend. Bridget Gates (Milford, Conn./Academy of Our Lady of Mercy Lauralton Hall) pitched well for the Bison through much of the game, allowing three runs on seven hits. The Black Knights tagged two late runs on the sophomore, however, to earn the win.
Bucknell and Army entered the seventh inning in a 1-1 tie. Reanna Johnson connected for a lead-off homer to give the Black Knights their first lead since the third inning. Amanda Nguyen followed with a triple, knocking Gates from the game and bringing in MacLean for her second appearance of the day. Nguyen gave Army an insurance run, scoring on a sacrifice fly from April Ortenzo.
Gates (6-18) took the loss in the pitcher's circle. She struck out five and walked three in 6.0 innings. MacLean gave up one hit in 1.0 innings of work.
The Bison put two runners on base in the bottom half of the inning, but neither advanced past first base. The loss marks the end of the season for Bucknell, which was knocked out of postseason contention in yesterday's doubleheader.
