Bucknell University
6-9
Rutgers University
9-11
Softball Struggles to 0-2 on Day One of Thundering Herd Round Robin
3/7/2020 3:36:00 PM | Softball
HUNGTINGTON, W.Va. - Bucknell softball held leads in both of Saturday's games against Rutgers and Marshall on the first day of the Thundering Herd Round Robin tournament but wound up falling to 0-2 on the weekend. Bucknell had trouble holding the Scarlet Knights' hitters in check as they outscored Bucknell 10-5 in the first game. The Bison then suffered a 4-3 comeback defeat at the hands of the hosting Herd. Senior Halie Mariano had a standout day for the Bison, finishing 3-for-6 at the plate with three RBIs. Bucknell fell to 6-10 on the season with the two losses.
The Bison will be back at Dot Hicks Field on Sunday for a second matchup with both teams. The day begins with a 9:30 a.m. game against Rutgers.
Bucknell 3, Marshall 4
Bucknell led against Marshall for two and a half innings in the second game before a two-run home run in the bottom of the third by Katie Adams set the Bison back 4-3. Both teams then went scoreless throughout the remainder of the contest and Bucknell was unable to find the tying run. Kaiya Burton was handed the loss and saw her record fall to 2-2 on the season.
Like the first game, Bucknell's offense was at its best in the first inning where it produced three runs to put the Bison on top. Mariano sent a three-RBI triple to center field that got passed outfielder and allowed Marisa Alemany, Nicole Rivait and Chase Knapp to score. It was one of just five hits Bucknell recorded in the game.
E1 | Bucknell 3, Marshall 2
— Bucknell Softball (@Bucknell_SB) March 7, 2020
Big rip by Halie Mariano sends three Bison across! Marshall got two back, but Burton gets Bucknell out of the inning with the lead. pic.twitter.com/GW2RDmpMwq
Marshall responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning, but Burton was able to limit the damage and hold onto the lead through two full innings. Burton struck out four and walked six before being replaced by Raeanne Geffert in the fifth inning.
Bucknell had a chance at tying the game in the top of the sixth when Mariano and Alemany both reached on singles, but the Herd retired the next two batters and both were left on base.
Marshall's Ashley Blessin was credited with the win and improved to 6-0 on the year, while Laney Jones received her third save of the season. The pair combined for eight strikeouts and four walks.
Also notable for the Bison was a second inning triple by Allyse Volpe, who also reached on a walk in the game. It was Volpe's fifth extra-base hit of the season. Mariano now has three multi-hit games and three multi-RBI games on the year.
Bucknell 5, Rutgers 10
Bucknell's offense posted double-digit hits in the first game vs. Rutgers and scored runs in four different innings, but the Scarlet Knights hung 10 on the board and came away with the win in the weekend's opening game. The Bison held a brief 2-0 lead in the first inning before Rutgers scored multiple runs in the first, second, and third.
With the loss, Geffert's record moved to 4-7. The senior pitcher struck out eighth and earned eight runs. Rutgers' Ashley Hitchcock received the win and moved to 5-3 on the season.
Rutgers took a 4-2 lead during the first inning thanks to a three-RBI double by Kiana Workman. Workman added another run with a homer in the third inning, and her teammates tacked on three more in the bottom of the fourth.
The Bison had initially taken a lead in the first inning after Chase Knapp hit an RBI double. Bucknell scored again in the inning when Rivait, who led the Bison with a pair of RBIs in the loss, singled to center. Rivait finished the game 2-for-4 and recorded her fourth home run of the season.
Alemany also finished the game with an RBI on a single to left center in the top of the fifth, which was the last run scored in the game. Taylor Wolfgang went 2-for-3 with a triple in the game as well. The Bucknell defense committed three errors in the loss.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Ashley Hitchcock (5-3)
L: Geffert, Raeanne (4-7)
Batting:
2B: Volpe, Allyse 1 ; Knapp, Chase 1 ; Wolfgang, Taylor 1
3B: Wolfgang, Taylor 1
HR: Rivait, Nicole 1
RBI: Knapp, Chase 1 ; Rivait, Nicole 2 ; Alemany, Marisa 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Volpe, Allyse 1 ; Knapp, Chase 1 ; Rivait, Nicole 1 ; Wolfgang, Taylor 1 ; Lorberter, Kailyn 1
SB: Rivait, Nicole 1
Batting:
2B: Taylor Fawcett 1 ; Gabrielle Callaway 1 ; Kiana Workman 1
HR: Kiana Workman 1
RBI: Gabrielle Callaway 2 ; Payton Lincavage 2 ; Kiana Workman 4
SF: Payton Lincavage 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Cambria Keefer 1 ; Taylor Fawcett 3 ; Gabrielle Callaway 1 ; Mya Mancini 1 ; Anyssa Iliopoulos 1 ; Payton Lincavage 1 ; Kiana Workman 1 ; Hailey Hoklotubbe 1
HBP: Gabrielle Callaway 1
