Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Lehigh
Softball Falls to Lehigh in Patriot League Championship Game
5/9/2015 2:51:00 PM | Softball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Second-seeded Bucknell fell to first-seeded Lehigh 8-0 on Saturday in the championship round of the Patriot League Tournament at Leadership Park. The Bison finished as the league runner-up for the second consecutive season, posting a 2-2 record in the tournament.
Bucknell wrapped up a record-setting season with a record of 35-20, including a pair of wins over third-seeded Colgate in the tournament. Lehigh improved to 39-7 and received the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Regional Tournament. The Mountain Hawks posted two victories over the Bison and one against Army West Point on their way to the title.
The Mountain Hawks slowly pulled away throughout the game, scoring one run in the first, second, fourth and fifth innings, before putting the contest out of reach with a four-run sixth inning. Leadoff hitter Nicole Yozzo led the charge with a perfect 3-for-3 day at the plate.
Bucknell had its chances, getting at least one runner on in the first five innings, but was unable to come through with the clutch hit against Emily Bausher, the two-time Patriot League Pitcher of the Year and the Tournament MVP. Meghan Kovac had three of the team's four hits with a triple, double and single. Chaylen Andolino led off the game by roping a line drive single to center field.
Bausher recorded the shutout for Lehigh, lowering her season ERA to 1.13. She walked two batters and struck out four.
Kovac was one of three Bucknell players selected to the All-Tournament Team, thanks to a .500 average with three extra-base hits in four games. She was joined by Amanda Fazio and Erin Cox. Fazio made the team for the second straight year. She pitched in all four games, notched two wins and struck out 21 batters. Cox had three hits, including a double off the left-center field fence that tied the score at four in the first game against Lehigh.
The 35 wins are a single-season record for Bucknell. Other records set this year included career hits (Cydnee Sanders, 208), single-season RBIs (Kristen Zahn, 53), single-season stolen bases (Fazio, 26), wins (Fazio, 19) and strikeouts (Fazio, 163).
At the end of the regular season, Zahn was voted the Patriot League Player of the Year, and Bonnie Skrenta was named the Coach of the Year. Zahn was selected to the All-Patriot League First Team, while Sanders, Dana Nielsen and Jacee Almond earned Second Team honors.
