Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
George Washington
Bucknell Softball Clips George Washington, 4-3 in Extra Innings
3/1/2013 7:00:00 AM | Softball
March 1, 2013
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Mallory Lyons delivered a game-winning single in the top of the eighth inning, propelling Bucknell softball to its second win of the year, 4-3 over George Washington at GW Softball Field on Friday afternoon. The Bison (2-7) also benefited from a three-run fifth inning to come from behind in their first game of the Colonial Classic.
Bucknell played its fourth extra-inning game of the season and came out on top for the second time with Lyons' late hit. The junior entered the game as a pinch hitter and put a base hit through the left side. That scored Mariah Midyette, who had been placed on second base to start the inning according to the international tie breaking rules.
Also involved in the late push was Cheyanna Young, who laid down a sacrifice bunt to put Midyette on third. Young finished the game 1-for-2 with two RBI. Both of those runs batted in came in the top of the fifth when she plated Kristen Zahn and Cydnee Sanders to put Bucknell in front 3-1.
After getting plenty of scoring opportunities in the early innings, including having the bases loaded with no outs in the first, Bucknell finally started cashing in on its chances later in the game. Sanders drew a walk to load the bases with one out in the fifth. That brought Erin Cox to the plate, and the sophomore responded with a sacrifice fly that tied the game at one run apiece.
Midyette followed Cox with a walk, loading the bases yet again. George Washington (3-9) made a pitching change at that point, although Meghan Rico had similar luck. The reliever gave up the two-RBI single to Young, her first batter faced, and saw the lead switch over to Bucknell at 3-1.
It took just four batters for the Colonials to even the score again. Three singles and a sacrifice bunt knotted the game at 3-3 in the bottom half of the fifth. Chelsea Lenhart was credited with the two-RBI single that gave George Washington new life.
Rico retired the side in the top of the sixth and allowed just one more base runner in the seventh. Bucknell's Dana Nielsen had a similar result, inheriting a base runner in the sixth but putting no other Colonials on in the seventh, pushing the game to extra frames.
In the end, it was Nielsen (1-2) who walked away with the win. The freshman pitched 2.2 innings of shutout relief without giving up a hit or a walk.
George Washington starter Courtney Martin (1-5) took the loss after allowing three runs on three hits in 4.2 innings. She also struck out seven but gave up six walks. Rico finished the game with no earned runs on three hits in 3.1 innings of work.
Bucknell saw a balanced offense with six different players recording each of its hits. Sanders was among those on the base paths most often, finishing 1-for-2 with two walks and one run scored.
Bucknell's second game of the day vs. Dartmouth was suspended in the top of the third inning due to darkness. The Big Green had a 2-1 lead, but the Bison had two runners on with two outs when the game was called. The conclusion of the game had yet to be rescheduled at the end of the day.
The Bison will next take on Seton Hall at 3:15 p.m. on Saturday. Sunday's Colonial Classic action begins at 11:45 a.m. with a Bucknell-Dartmouth rematch and another 1:30 p.m. meeting with Seton Hall.
