Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Lehigh
Lehigh Silences Bucknell Softball's Offense in 9-0, 8-0 Decisions
4/7/2012 8:00:00 AM | Softball
April 7, 2012
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - After getting itself back in the wins column during mid-week play, Bucknell softball's offense again deserted it as the Bison fell 9-0 and 8-0 to Lehigh in a pair of five-inning games on Saturday afternoon. Four of Bucknell's five hits on the day came from freshmen. The Bison are now 6-21 overall and 0-6 in Patriot League play.
Inning one of game one turned out to be somewhat misleading of the play to come. Bucknell pitcher Alex MacLean (Northampton, Pa./Northampton) faced just four batters and allowed only one hit. After a scoreless opening frame, Lehigh (22-14, 6-0 PL) put eight of its nine runs on the board in the second inning. Twelve batters came to the plate and the Mountain Hawks totaled three hits, four walks and a hit-by-pitch before MacLean got out of the inning with her only strikeout of the day.
MacLean made it through the second inning but was replaced by Courtney Conover (Ocean Township, N.J./Ocean Township) to start the third. After 2.0 innings of work, MacLean (3-14) had allowed eight earned runs on four hits. Conover gave up one earned run on three hits and struck out two in her 2.0 innings of relief.
Lehigh's Emily Bausher (10-8) earned the win in the pitchers' circle after not allowing a hit until the fourth inning. Meredith Dickson (Fogelsville, Pa./Northwestern Lehigh) recorded a two-out single and Colie Escobar (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill East) followed with her own single down the left field line. Dickson became the only Bison to reach scoring position, but was stranded at second base.
Bausher's two-hit shutout came with six strikeouts in 4.0 innings.
The second game of the day followed a similar pattern with the Bucknell bats remaining quiet and the Lehigh offense recording multiple runs per inning. The Mountain Hawks scored three times in the second and third innings, connected for three hits each time. They then added two runs on one hit and two walks in the fourth to account for its eight total runs in the contest.
MacLean went 4.0 innings in the nightcap. Only four of the runs allowed were earned, and the junior gave up eight total hits. Rebecca Bliss (9-5) took the win for Lehigh with 4.0 innings of work in her three-hit shutout.
Each of Bucknell's hits in game two came from rookies. Kristen Zahn (Readington, N.J./Huntigdon Regional Central) singled in the first and Erin Cox (La Quinta, Calif./La Quinta) singled in the second. After Cydnee Sanders (Magnolia, Texas/Magnolia West) reached on an error in the third, Escobar earned her second hit of the day, reaching first on a bunt in the fourth inning. In the two games combined, Escobar went 2-for-4 at the plate.
Three times the Bison got into scoring position, but nothing came of the effort. Bucknell has now been shut out 11 times this season and five times in the last seven games.
Bucknell will look to get things rolling again when the series at Lehigh continues tomorrow. The first pitch of the doubleheader is slated for 12 p.m.
