Bucknell University
10-10, 7-6
Lehigh
8-13, 6-7
Bucknell Softball Splits Saturday Doubleheader at Lehigh
4/24/2021 7:22:00 PM | Softball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Bucknell softball team went to extra innings in both games of Saturday's doubleheader against Lehigh and split the opening games of the series. The Bison took a 2-1 lead in the top of the eighth in game one, but ended up falling 3-2 as the Mountain Hawks scored a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning. Bucknell rebounded in game two and overcame a 3-1 deficit before winning 5-4 in eight innings.
Olivia Marinelli earned the win in the circle in game two, and Zoie Smith finished with a team-best three RBIs after hitting her sixth home run of the season.
Bucknell plays two more games against the Mountain Hawks on Sunday in Lewisburg. Game one is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
Game One: Lehigh 3, Bucknell 2
The Bison were on the board early in the afternoon as Nicole Rivait led off the game with a double, then was driven home on a Taylor Wolfgang single that put the Bison up 1-0 in the first inning.
The Bison lead remained until Lehigh tied the game in the third. The Mountain Hawks led off the inning with a double, and the runner advanced to third on a sac bunt before scoring a batter later on a groundout.
Neither team could break the tie over the next four innings as Kaiya Burton held Lehigh in check.
Bucknell looked like it might go scoreless in the eighth inning as well, but Sarah Baluch hit a ball to deep center field that put her on second base with two outs. In the next at-bat, Niki Mabry sent a ball to center that scored the runner and gave the Bison a 2-1 advantage.
Bucknell was one out away from sealing the victory when the Mountain Hawks hit back-to-back doubles to score twice and end the game.
Burton went the full game and struck out five while allowing eight hits. Jess Hom and Wolfgang both finished with two hits.
Game Two: Bucknell 5, Lehigh 4
The second game saw more offense as the two teams combined for 17 hits and nine runs. It was a back-and-forth affair that saw Bucknell win it in the eighth inning.
The Bison were on the board first once again when Mabry reached on a single in the second inning, then scored after a Tara Baglivo single and a Lehigh error. The Mountain Hawks came right back in the bottom of the second with a home run that tied the at 1-1.
Following a no-run third inning, Lehigh tallied two more in the bottom of the fourth with two hits, a Bison error and a Bison wild pitch. Bucknell took the lead back in the top of the fifth when Smith hit a 3-run home run to right field.
Not willing to give in, Lehigh hit a leadoff triple and singled through the left side of the defense in the bottom of the inning to tie the game once more at 4-4.
In the extra inning, Baglivo led off with a walk and was moved to second thanks to a Kailyn Lorberter sacrifice bunt. Hom doubled in the next at-bat sending Baglivo across and giving the Bison a 5-4 lead. This time, the margin would hold up as Marinelli retired the Mountain Hawks in order in the bottom of the eighth.
Kelly Toomey went the first five innings, striking out three and allowing six hits. Marinelli pitched the final three and struck out three against two Lehigh hits.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Nori, Gabriella (4-5)
L: Burton, Kaiya (4-5)
Batting:
2B: Rivait, Nicole 1 ; Baluch, Sarah 1
RBI: Wolfgang, Taylor 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rivait, Nicole 1 ; DeRiso, Bella 1
SB: Rivait, Nicole 1
HBP: Rivait, Nicole 1
Batting:
2B: Chesson, Jaelynn 1 ; Cannon, Brooke 1 ; Kittel, Addie 1
3B: Alsobrooks, Payton 1
RBI: Barjaktarovich, C. 1 ; Chesson, Jaelynn 1 ; Cannon, Brooke 1
SH: Cimino, Emily 1 ; Alsobrooks, Payton 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Barjaktarovich, C. 1 ; Chesson, Jaelynn 1 ; Egizio, Bella 1
