Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Binghamton
Nielsen, Fazio Pitch Bison to Doubleheader Sweep of Binghamton
4/11/2015 8:35:00 PM | Softball
LEWISBURG, Pa. – One day after slugging its way to a 9-8 win over Robert Morris, the Bucknell softball team used stellar pitching performances from juniors Dana Nielsen and Amanda Fazio to sweep both games of a doubleheader with Binghamton on Saturday at Becker Field.
The Bison won 2-1 in the first game behind a complete game from Nielsen, and posted a 5-1 victory in the second game with a complete-game outing from Fazio. They improved to 22-17 on the year, just one win shy of last year's total with 12 games remaining in the regular season. The Bearcats dropped to 12-13.
Senior Kristen Zahn had one RBI in the first game and three in the second win to give her a Bucknell record 39 on the season. She has at least one RBI in each of the past six games.
Only Patriot League games remain on Bucknell's schedule. The Bison will host Lafayette on Tuesday for a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.
Game 1 – Bucknell 2, Binghamton 1
Nielsen pitched her third complete game of the season, allowing one run on nine hits and one walk. She struck out six batters to give her 58 on the season. Nielsen improved to 7-4 with her second win in as many days.
Bucknell scored all the runs it would need with one in the second inning and one in the third. Senior Erin Cox led off the second inning with a double and eventually scored on a double by junior Mariah Midyette. Zahn doubled in senior Cydnee Sanders in the third inning to score the eventual deciding run.
Nielsen didn't allow a run through the first six innings. She lost the shutout in the bottom of the seventh, but stranded Binghamton runners on second and third to ensure the win.
The Bison finished with nine hits, including doubles by Zahn, Cox and Midyette. Zahn and Cox also singled, Sanders singled twice, and Jacee Almond and Meghan Kovac had one hit apiece.
Game 2 – Bucknell 5, Binghamton 1
Fazio got back on track with her 12th complete game of the season, giving up just one run and striking out nine batters, running her total to 120 on the season. She gave up eight hits and walked one batter on the way to her 12th win of the season.
Midyette was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate, including a two-run single in the second inning, to pace Bucknell's nine-hit attack. Zahn had a two-run double in the third inning and an RBI single in the fifth. Almond, Fazio, Kovac and Christina Martinez all had singles.
The Bison had a big defensive play in the sixth inning to help preserve their four-run lead. Binghamton loaded the bases with no outs, but Fazio got the next Bearcat hitter to hit a groundball to Almond at second base. She threw home for the first out, and Martinez finished the double play with a throw to first. Fazio struck out the next batter to end the threat.
