Softball Opens UNCG Invitational with Losses to Virginia and Loyola Chicago

Friday, February 25

Greensboro, N.C.

5 p.m.

Bucknell University

2-7

Virginia

7-5

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Bucknell	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	6	1
Virginia	3	0	1	1	0	0	X	5	7	1

Softball Opens UNCG Invitational with Losses to Virginia and Loyola Chicago

2/25/2022 11:21:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Bucknell softball opened its weekend at the UNCG Invitational Friday evening and fell 5-1 to Virginia and 3-0 to Loyola Chicago. Junior Chase Knapp hit her second home run of the season to give the Bison their run in the game against the Cavaliers.

Bucknell worked its bullpen on Friday, as five different pitchers saw action. Four different pitchers got work in the Virginia game, while Kelly Toomey and Kaiya Burton threw in the loss to the Ramblers. Bucknell dropped to 2-8 on the season with the losses.

The Bison return to action in Greensboro on Saturday with a 5 p.m. game against UNC Greensboro and another matchup with Loyola Chicago at 7:30 p.m.

Game One: Virginia 5, Bucknell 1

Virginia jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first game of the day with a big first inning, but Knapp's homer in the top of the third cut the deficit to just two runs. The Cavaliers added runs in the bottom of the third and the bottom of the fourth, and the Bison were unable to even it up.

Bucknell finished the game with six hits and one error, while Virginia posted seven hits and an error. Toomey received the loss after starting and throwing just 1.1 innings. Madison Roukey, Hunter Vestal and Olivia Marinelli also saw time in the circle.

Virginia led off the bottom of the first with a double and a home run to go up 2-0, and it added another double and single before the frame was over to capture the early lead. The Bison posted two hits over the first two innings, but nothing came of them.

Once Roukey entered the game in the second, the Cavaliers loaded the bases on three walks, but the rookie was able to get out of the jam without further damage.

After Knapp homered with one out in the third, Bucknell got runners on second and third with a Juliette Basso double and a Nicole Rivait walk, but Virginia got out of the inning without allowing its lead to shrink any further.

The Cavaliers led off the bottom of the third with a double and later scored on a single and an error to add to the lead. They posted another run in the bottom of the fourth with another walk and an RBI single. In total, the Bison walked six batters in the game.

Bucknell rookie Elena Horn, who had a standout series at UNCW last weekend, went 2-for-3 in the game.

Virginia sophomore Savanah Henley received the win after throwing 3.2 innings and allowing two hits.

Game Two: Loyola Chicago 3, Bucknell 0

The Bison managed just two hits against the Ramblers, as Peyton Pepkowski had a fantastic evening for Loyola Chicago with 10 strikeouts in a complete game.

Burton threw the first four innings for Bucknell, striking out three and allowing four hits and three runs. Toomey finished the game and allowed no hits with three strikeouts over the final three innings. Horn and Jessie Kincer had Bucknell's only hits.

The Ramblers singled, walked and scored on a sacrifice fly in the top of the first to get on the board early. Bucknell's first six batters all went down on strikeouts before Horn led off the bottom of the third with a single to left field following an 11-pitch at-bat.

The Ramblers went on to add two more runs in the top of the fourth with two more singles and a double. The Bison saw just one more base runner in the bottom of the sixth with a Kincer single to left center.