Bucknell University
Army
Bison Beat Colgate, Fall to Army in PL Elimination Games
5/10/2013 8:00:00 AM | Softball
- Game 1: Bucknell 5, Colgate 3
- Game 2: Army 4, Bucknell 3
- BUY PHOTOS (Colgate)
- BUY PHOTOS (Army)
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Bucknell softball twice faced elimination but could only come up with the postseason magic it needed once as it defeated Colgate 5-3 but fell to Army 4-3 in the Patriot League Tournament at Kaufman Field on Friday afternoon. The Bison finish their season 21-30 overall while Army (33-24) advances to Saturday's championship round against Lehigh.
In its first must-win game of the day, Bucknell came through with a two-run victory over the No. 4 seed Colgate. The Bison took the 1-0 lead in the third inning and never gave it up again. Cydnee Sanders had led off that frame with a bunt single, surprising the defense. With some help from her teammates, Sanders moved around the bases and came home as Erin Cox singled to shortstop.
The Bucknell offense broke things open in the fifth inning. The Bison totaled four hits, all singles, and added a walk to add three runs to the scoreboard. The offensive attack began with Cassie Greenhawk, who beat out the throw to first base. Kristen Zahn followed with a comebacker that hit the Raider pitcher in the shoulder. Mariah Midyette then drove in the first run of the frame and Bucknell improved its lead to 3-1.
With Cheyanna Young at the plate, Bucknell pulled in front 5-1. The freshman connected for a long single, scoring Zahn and Midyette. The hit gave the Bison some breathing room, keeping worry to a minimum despite Colgate scoring twice in the bottom half of the inning.
During the Bucknell half of the fifth, Colie Escobar had kept the inning going with a walk. The sophomore finished the game 1-for-3 with a triple and scored in the fourth. Midyette closed out her opening contest by hitting 2-for-3 at the plate and added a run and an RBI.
Young's two-RBI hit knocked Colgate's starting pitcher Megan Carnase out of the game. Carnase (3-12) eventually took the loss for the Raiders, giving up five runs on eight hits in 4.2 innings. She also allowed two walks, including one to Greenhawk. The Bison senior ends her career tied for 10th all-time at Bucknell with 21 single-season walks.
Dana Nielsen was the winning pitcher for Bucknell, improving to 9-12 on the year after her first appearance. Nielsen gave up two earned runs on seven hits in her complete game. She also struck out two to end Colgate's season.
Nielsen got her second chance of the day, entering the game against Army in relief. Amanda Fazio started the game for the Bison and gave her team 4.1 innings of solid work. The freshman tallied five strikeouts and gave up six hits.
Nielsen (9-13) ended up with the loss for Bucknell after going 2.1 innings and allowing two runs on four hits. Those two runs turned out to be big ones. Christian McKone drove in the tying run and later scored on a single from Alex Reynolds. That gave the Black Knights a 4-3 lead that stood until the end.
Most of Army's early hits off Fazio did little damage although the Black Knights were able to tie the game 1-1 in the top of the third. Back-to-back singles for Army in the fifth that ended Fazio's day kept things interesting. The first in that stretch gave Nguyen a Patriot League-record 79 single-season hits. She eventually scored on a sacrifice fly from Kasey McCravey for a 3-2 scored in favor of the Bison.
McCravey's outfield shot made it 3-2 but Bucknell still had the lead. The Bison had scored the first run of the day in the bottom half of the first inning. Sanders again led off with a bunt and scored on a triple of Cox's bat.
After Army tied the game in the third, Bucknell went back up in the bottom half of the inning. Courtney Conover opened with a single through the left side and Greenhawk reached on a fielder's choice to give Bucknell a pair of baserunners. Both came home on Midyette's two-out double and the Bison led 3-1.
Bucknell looked as if it would pull off the upset before Nguyen's offense sealed the deal for Army. The Black Knights will now play for the title against top-seeded Army tomorrow at 10 a.m. needing to win two games to secure the championship.
