Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Colgate
Bucknell Softball Closes Colgate Series with Two Losses
4/1/2012 8:00:00 AM | Softball
April 1, 2012
| BUY PHOTOS
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Colgate softball was not fooling around when it completed the four-game sweep over Bucknell at Becker Field on Sunday afternoon. The Raiders (9-14, 4-0 PL) defeated the Bison (5-18, 0-4 PL) 11-1 in six innings to start off the day, then finished things up with a 5-0 win in a rainy nightcap. Bucknell has now lost its last 10 games.
The Bison continued to struggle offensively during the season's Patriot League-opening series. Bucknell was outscored 22-4 and hit just .163 through the four games with Colgate.
On Sunday, Bucknell did its best to make a game of it with some strong play in the fourth inning in the morning matchup. Although Alex MacLean (Northampton, Pa./Northampton Area) ran into some trouble in the top half of the inning, she was bailed out with some help from her teammate's defense. With the bases loaded and only one out, MacLean got Courtney O'Connell to line out to the first baseman. Erin Cox (La Quinta, Calif./La Quinta) then turned the unassisted double play by catching the runner too far from the base.
The defensive effort kept it a one-run game, and the Bison got a bit lucky and tied things up in the bottom half of the fourth. Kristen Zahn (Readington, N.J./Huntingdon Central Regional) drew a walk and advanced to second on Rachel LeCoq's wild pitch. The Bison freshman then stole third base and with two outs, scored on another wild pitch.
Just as Bucknell looked as if it would mount a comeback, Colgate squashed those plans. Eleven batters and five hits, including a grand slam from Emmi Dolfi, in the top of the fifth put things out of reach for Bucknell. By the time the Bison got out of the frame, they trailed 8-1. Three more runs in the sixth gave Colgate the shortened victory, 11-1.
MacLean (2-11) took the loss after pitching 5.2 non-consecutive innings. She struck out one and walked four in her appearance, allowing six runs on seven hits. Courtney Conover (Ocean Township, N.J./Ocean Township) allowed four earned runs on four hits in 0.1 innings of relief. The sophomore faced eight batters in the fifth and sixth innings.
LeCoq (3-8) earned the win with one earned run and three hits allowed. She struck out five and walked three.
Game two did not go much better for Bucknell, although the Bison did see its best offense after a 34-minute rain delay in the sixth inning. After getting behind 0-2 in the count before the stoppage in play, Mary Horton (Plantation, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas) came back after the break with a single to center field. The junior was thrown out at second trying to stretch it into a double, however, and Bucknell was left without a base runner again.
That changed with Meredith Dickson (Fogelsville, Pa./Northwestern Lehigh) coming to the plate. Dickson put a base-hit through the middle, gathering her third consecutive single in the game. The senior was 3-for-3 in the second game and 4-for-6 on the day.
Dickson was unable to get past second base despite a single through the left side from Laura Sandford (New Egypt, N.J./New Egypt). The sixth inning ended with two left on base and the Bison still trailing 4-0.
Whereas Colgate had done its damage with some power hitting in game one - the Raiders had five extra-base hits - its offense relied on singles in game two. All eight hits for the Raiders were for only one base, but they took advantage of their opportunities to score once in the first inning, twice more in the third, and once again in the fifth and seventh.
O'Connell (5-4) threw her second shutout of the series and earned the win after allowing only six hits. She also struck out one. Bridget Gates (Milford, Conn./Academy of Our Lady of Mercy Lauralton Hall) saw her record drop to 2-7 after allowing four earned runs on eight hits. She struck out six, bringing her weekend total to 12, and walked four batters.
Bucknell will play a second straight series at home on Wednesday when it hosts La Salle. The doubleheader, which is slated for a 3:30 p.m. start, can be heard live on WVBU 90.5 FM and at SportsJuice.com.
