Gimmestad Leads Home Run Barrage as Softball Sweeps Colgate

Sunday, March 24

Lewisburg, Pa.

12 p.m.

Bucknell University

12-15, 2-0

Colgate

11-14, 0-2

Colgate

Bucknell

Photo by: Marc Hagemeier

Gimmestad Leads Home Run Barrage as Softball Sweeps Colgate

3/24/2019 5:03:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

LEWISBURG, Pa. – Bucknell hit five home runs, including two by Anna Gimmestad, in the second game of a doubleheader as the Bison completed a three-game sweep of Colgate with a 9-1 win. That game came after the Bison rallied for a 10-8 victory in game one.

The Bison upped their record to 13-15 overall and are off to a 3-0 start in the Patriot League. The fast start is important in an 18-game league schedule that sends four teams to the conference tournament.

Gimmestad was outstanding over the three games against the Raiders, going 7-for-9 with nine RBIs. She added a walk to reach base on eight of 10 plate appearances. Gimmestad led the charge as the Bison scored 25 runs in the series. That total matched the team's scoring total from the previous 10 games combined.

Colgate dipped to 11-15 overall and 0-3 in the league. The Bison have won 14 straight games in the series with the Raiders, dating back to 2015.

Game 1 – Bucknell 10, Colgate 8
The Bison had eight hits and took advantage of eight walks and one error to secure a 10-8 win in game one.

Colgate led 4-3 before Bucknell erupted for six runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Jess Hom and Allyse Volpe fueled the rally with two-run singles, while Gimmestad and Nicole Rivait each drove in a run with a single.

The Raiders cut their deficit to four, 9-5, with a run in the top of the fifth inning, but the Bison added an insurance run with an RBI groundout by Julienne Egofske in the bottom half of the sixth.

Colgate threatened a comeback in the top of the seventh, getting within two on a three-run home run by Jordan Miller. Lauren Lichtenwalner, who pitched 5.1 innings of strong relief, got the next two batters to groundout to notch her fifth win of the season.

Volpe was a perfect 3-for-3 with two singles and a triple and drove in a pair of runs. Gimmestad was 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs. Bucknell finished with three extra-base hits, including a triple by Ryanne Rokos.

Game 2 – Bucknell 9, Colgate 1 (5 innings)
Bucknell ended the second game early with a 9-1 mercy rule victory thanks to five home runs. Gimmestad led the way with her two blasts, while Alemany, Hadley, and Wolfgang hit one apiece.

The Bison went back-to-back twice in the first three innings. Alemany and Hadley got things rolling in the first inning, hitting nearly identical high shots to left-center field to give their team a 2-0 lead.

Gimmestad and Wolfgang went back-to-back in the third inning to up the lead to 5-0. Wolfgang put one over the right-center field fence for a two-run homer, and Gimmestad followed with a solo shot to the deepest part of the park in center field.

But Gimmestad wasn't done there. She added a three-run home run, her third of the season, in the fourth inning that put the Bison up 8-0. Sarah Baluch added a pinch-hit RBI single the following inning to give the Bison nine runs and help them put the game away with the mercy rule.

Thanks to the breakout offensive showing, Gimmestad now leads the teams in batting (.341) and hits (29). She became just the 10^th player in program history to hit two home runs in a game, joining current teammate Hadley.

Hadley went 3-for-3 in the game, finishing a triple shy of the cycle. Wolfgang also had multiple hits, adding a double to her home run. Volpe doubled, and Halie Mariano added a single.

While the offense was having their best performance of the season, Raeanne Geffert was doing her part in the circle. She gave up one run on six hits and no walks. The junior struck out five batters while pitching all five innings for her seventh win of the season.

Gallery: (3/24/2019) Softball vs. Colgate