Bucknell University
Longwood
Bucknell Softball Suffers 9-1 (6 inn.) Loss at Longwood
2/24/2013 7:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 24, 2013
FARMVILLE, Va. - Bucknell softball closed out the Longwood Spring Classic with a 9-1 (6 inn.) loss to the host Lancers on Sunday afternoon. The Bison could not overcome the big hits from the Lancers and dropped their season record to 1-7. Mariah Midyette collected her second extra-base hit on the day against Longwood, giving her a team-best four for the season.
Midyette, who homered in Bucknell's 4-3 eight-inning loss to Stony Brook earlier in the day, led off the fourth inning against Longwood with a double to center field. Although the Bison couldn't bring her home after she was picked off on a fielder's choice, Bucknell did plate Cheyanna Young. Young reached base on that fielder's choice and eventually scored thanks to an error on the Lancers' third baseman.
Bucknell put one more runner in scoring position for the rest of the game on an Erin Cox double in the sixth. The Bison offense was unable to keep pace with Longwood that scored at least two runs in three of the six innings played. Katie Shinrock hit a two-run homer in the first for the early lead. Bucknell kept Longwood off the scoreboard again until the fourth when a couple of base hits scored a third run.
The Bison made up a bit of ground with Young's score, making it 3-1, but the Lancers put four more runs on the board in the top of the fifth. Megan Baltzell led off the frame with a home run and Longwood sent 10 to the plate. By the time Baltzell made her second plate appearance in the inning, the Lancers had logged just one more hit but four walks, making the scored 7-1.
Two more runs on a two-RBI single from Chelsea Sciacca in the top of the sixth finalized the score at 9-1. Sciacca finished the day 3-for-3 with three RBI. Shinrock also tallied three RBI and Emily Murphy was 2-for-3 with three runs scored for Longwood.
Bucknell worked four pitchers in the outing, but it was the starter Dana Nielsen (0-2) who took the loss. The freshman allowed four earned runs on six hits in less than two innings. Bridget Gates followed and went 2.1 innings of scoreless effort. The senior struck out three and gave up three hits before giving way to Cindy Cherness. Cherness and Alex MacLean combined to finish the game with four earned runs on five hits in 2.1 innings.
Brooke Short (5-0) earned the win for Longwood after entering the game in the third inning. Short was in the circle for Bucknell's lone run, although it was unearned. She allowed two hits and struck out two.
Bucknell will be back on the field March 1-3 for the Colonial Classic. The Bison will take on Dartmouth, George Washington and Seton Hall in five games over the course of the weekend in Washington, D.C.
