Bucknell University
6-4, 3-0
Lafayette
0-7, 0-3
Softball Completes Series Sweep over Lafayette with Two Wins on Monday
3/29/2021 7:52:00 PM | Softball
EASTON, Pa. – Bucknell softball used another massive offensive output on Monday to win two games over Lafayette in Easton, Pa. and complete the four-game series sweep. The Bison totaled 27 hits over 13 innings while scoring 21 runs on Monday to open Patriot League play 4-0.
Senior Taylor Wolfgang went 5-for-5 at the plate with five RBIs, three runs scored, a double and a home run. Also knocking in five runs and scoring three was junior Nicole Rivait, who went 4-for-8 with a double. Sophomore Kailyn Lorberter was 4-for-7 with a triple and one run batted in. As a team, Bucknell (7-4, 4-0 PL) batted .394 for the day.
Pitchers Kaiya Burton and Kelly Toomey collected wins in the circle and combined for 14 strikeouts in the two wins.
Bucknell continues Patriot League play next weekend with a four-game series at Holy Cross.
Game One: Bucknell 9, Lafayette 6
Bucknell posted 10 hits in the first game and used a big second inning to take a lead after Lafayette put one run up in the first.
Bucknell scored six runs on four hits in the second, beginning with a two-RBI single to left center by rookie Niki Mabry that got the Bison on the board. A Lorberter single in the next at-bat loaded the bases once more, and both Rivait and Zoie Smith earned back-to-back walks for easy RBIs that pushed Bucknell's lead to 4-1. Unsatisfied with the lead, Wolfgang doubled to left field to send two more home and grab a 6-1 edge over the Leopards.
Lafayette came right back with a big third inning that tied the game at 6-6, and that's where the score would remain until the top of the sixth.
The Bison put up three more runs on five hits in the sixth inning to take a 9-6 lead. Mabry led off the inning with her second single of the game and eventually made her way to third after a Lorberter sacrifice bunt and a steal. Bucknell then saw three RBI singles in three consecutive at-bats by Rivait, Smith and Wolfgang before resting its case with a three-run lead that would last until the game's end.
Rivait, Smith, Wolfgang and Mabry all finished the first game with multiple RBIs.
After Olivia Marinelli went the first two innings, Toomey came in for the final five and struck out eight while allowing two hits and two runs. Toomey improved to 3-0 on the season with the victory.
Game Two: Bucknell 12, Lafayette 3
Bucknell ended the second game in six innings after posting a season-high 17 hits and scoring four runs in the top of the sixth to eight-run rule the Leopards. Bucknell also added one more home run to add to a series total of nine.
Lafayette jumped in front first again in the second game after Bucknell went scoreless over its first two trips to the plate. The Leopards sent a two-run shot over the fence in the bottom of the second before the Bison responded in the third.
This time it was Wolfgang homering for a third time in the four-game series. Along with herself, she knocked in Jess Hom, who led the inning off with a single. The 2-2 tie wouldn't last long as the Leopards scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the second to retake the lead.
Bucknell took the lead for good with a big fourth inning that saw five Bison runs score. The team loaded the bases with three singles in its first four at-bats of the inning. Noelle Gardon and Jazmyn Stokes scored first on a throwing error, then Rivait added two more to the scoreboard with a two-RBI double to left field. Smith wrapped up the inning with another RBI single that gave Bucknell a 7-3 advantage heading into the fifth inning.
After putting one run up with a Rivait RBI single in the fifth, the offense exploded for four more runs in the sixth to take a 12-3 lead in the ballgame. Three consecutive Bucknell hits led off the inning, including a double by Sarah Baluch and an RBI single from Stokes. Junior Tara Baglivo got in on the action as a pinch hitter and made the most of the opportunity by smacking a two-RBI single to left, and Lorberter put an exclamation point on the inning with an RBI triple to give the Bison enough to head home early.
Rivait, Wolfgang, Stokes and Lorberter each posted three hits in the game, and Rivait led the team with three RBIs. Wolfgang's home run was the 17th of her career, putting her fourth all-time in program history.
After Hunter Vestal made the start and struck out a pair in the first two innings, Burton came in and earned no runs over four innings while striking out six and allowing two hits. She moved to 2-2 on the season.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Toomey, Kelly (3-0)
L: Cook, Hannah (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Smith, Zoie 1 ; Wolfgang, Taylor 1
RBI: Rivait, Nicole 2 ; Smith, Zoie 2 ; Wolfgang, Taylor 3 ; Mabry, Niki 2
SH: Lorberter, Kailyn 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rivait, Nicole 2 ; Smith, Zoie 1 ; Wolfgang, Taylor 1 ; Baluch, Sarah 1 ; Gardon, Noelle 1 ; Mabry, Niki 2 ; Lorberter, Kailyn 1
SB: Mabry, Niki 1
Batting:
2B: Harvey, Grace 1 ; Roman, Julia 1
HR: Harvey, Grace 1 ; Sandidge, Paige 1
RBI: Olynyk, Morgan 1 ; Harvey, Grace 3 ; Sandidge, Paige 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Miner, Natasha 1 ; Brasher, Erica 1 ; Olynyk, Morgan 1 ; Harvey, Grace 1 ; Roman, Julia 1 ; Sandidge, Paige 1
SB: Miner, Natasha 1
HBP: Olynyk, Morgan 1
