Bucknell University
Stony Brook
Bucknell Softball Falls to Stony Brook, Longwood in Tournament Openers
2/23/2013 7:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 23, 2013
FARMVILLE, Va. - Bucknell softball could not avoid the big inning and that resulted in a pair of losses on the first day of the Longwood Spring Classic where the Bison lost 13-2 to Stony Brook and 7-0 to Longwood on Saturday afternoon in Farmville, Va. Bucknell (1-5) will square off against the same teams tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Bucknell and Stony Brook went toe-to-toe through the start of the day's first game, but the Seawolves put up nine runs in the third to break open the scoring. Stony Brook sent 12 batters to the plate and recorded seven hits, one of which was a grand slam, to take the 9-0 run.
Bucknell got one run back in the bottom of the third. Cassie Greenhawk led off the inning with a single and moved into scoring position thanks to an error on the play. Caryn Connors moved her over on more base with a sacrifice bunt and Cydnee Sanders collected the RBI with a single back to the pitcher.
The fourth inning gave the Bison their only other run on the day. Mariah Midyette singled up the middle and eventually scored on a bases loaded walk drawn by Alex Wells. Midyette finished the game 2-for-2 with a walk at the plate.
With the game all but decided, Stony Brook tagged on four more runs in the top of the seventh to set the final score at 13-2. The Seawolves again batted around, and four hits and three walks gave them the insurance runs in the victory.
Amanda Fazio (1-4) gave up seven runs on six hits in 2.2 innings of work against the Seawolves. The freshman had another tough appearance in the next game, taking that loss with five earned runs on five hits in another 2.2 innings.
Against Longwood, the third inning was again the deciding frame. Although the Lancers had gotten a run on a homer in the second, the third saw nine players come to the plate and record three hits, one of which was a two-run homer to left field, and two walks before Fazio gave way to Dana Nielsen for the second time that day.
Bucknell had made a good push to make up some ground in the third inning yet again. The Bison loaded the bases with no out, but a play at the plate erased their best scoring opportunity. Bucknell left two on base in the inning and ultimately five for the game.
Although Bucknell threatened again in the fifth on a Connors double, it was Longwood that cashed in its chances in the bottom half of the inning. The Lancers added two more runs on a pair of RBI base hits and improved their lead to 7-0.
Longwood finished the game with 10 total hits, compared to three for Bucknell. That count was similar to the offensive split in the opener against Stony Brook, which totaled 12 hits to Bucknell's four. Individually, Greenhawk and Midyette both had multiple hits on the day for the Bison. Both finished 2-for-5 with a run scored.
