Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Army
Softball Splits PL Opener with Army
3/22/2014 5:07:00 PM | Softball
Game 1: Army 7, Bucknell 1
Game 2: Bucknell 7, Army 2
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Cydnee Sanders was 2-for-3 and keyed a three-run third inning with a two-run home run to help lift the Bucknell softball team to a 7-2 victory over Army in the second game of a doubleheader Saturday afternoon at sunny and breezy Becker Field. The Bison earned a split of the twinbill after dropping game one 7-1.
Sanders, Kristen Zahn and Mariah Midyette each registered two hits in the victory as Bucknell (8-13, 1-1 PL) outhit Army (9-14, 1-1 PL) 9-6. Lara Bean earned her third win of the season as she allowed just five hits and two runs in 5.2 innings before giving way to Cindy Cherness, who retired four of the five hitters she faced to post her second save of the year. Bean pitched to just one over the minimum number of hitters over the game's first three innings.
The Bison got the leadoff hitter on in four of their six innings at bat and scored runs in three of those frames. They took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Jacee Almond drew a leadoff walk and later scored on a single by Zahn. Cheyana Young drove home Mallory Lyons on a ground out to second.
Lyons led off the third with a single to left and Sanders followed with her first homer of the season over the right field wall. That knocked Army starter Kristen West from the game. Zahn greeted reliever Braetana Roy with a double to right center. After a sac bunt moved her to third, she scored on a single to left by Midyette, giving Bucknell a 5-1 advantage.
The Black Knights scored a single run in the top of the fifth as they took advantage of a leadoff walk, but the Bison tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth. Courtney Conover led off with a single to center and Almond followed with her third hit of the day. Lyons then loaded the bases when Army was unsuccessful in trying to get the lead runner on a sac bunt. A single to left by Sanders plated the first run of the frame and knocked Roy from the game in favor of game one starter Caroline Smith. Smith retired the next three hitters in order, although a ground out by Young scored Lyons for the final run of the game.
Game one of the doubleheader was close most of the way, but Army scored five runs in its final two at bats to post the six-run win. Dana Nielsen (4-6) got the start in the circle for Bucknell. She pitched into the seventh inning and scattered 13 hits, but was charged with six runs. She struck out five, giving her 65 strikeouts in 66.0 innings this season.
The Bison scored their lone run in the fifth inning when Christina Martinez led off with a single up the middle. She moved to second on a sac bunt. Almond then singled to left, advancing Martinez to third. The left fielder bobbled the ball, allowing Almond to take off for second. The left fielder threw to second and when that happened, Martinez ran home.
Smith (6-4) started for Army and pitched a complete game. She yielded eight hits and struck out four.
Almond recorded two hits in the opener. She was one of three Bison, along with Zahn and Midyette, to finish the doubleheader with three hits. Lyons scored three runs in the nightcap, while Sanders drove in three runs.
Bucknell and Army will wrap up their three-game weekend series Sunday at noon at Becker Field.
