Bucknell University
7-37, 3-15
Lafayette
9-33, 2-13
Softball Collects 2-0 Victory and Series Win in Season Finale at Lafayette
5/1/2022 3:10:00 PM | Softball
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Senior Nicole Rivait hit a solo home run after five scoreless innings to get Bucknell on the board and secure a 2-0 victory as well as a series win over Lafayette in the team's final game of the season. Rookie Bella Radican drove in the other run four batters later with her second single of the game.
Sophomore Olivia Marinelli started the game in the circle and allowed just two hits and no walks over the first three innings. Senior Kelly Toomey threw the final four innings, allowing no hits, no walks and striking out six in the win.
Sarah Baluch, Bucknell's third senior playing in her final game, was one of five Bison to record a hit on the afternoon. She posted a stand-up double in the top of the fifth. Rivait's home run came during her second-to-last at-bat and was the 13th of her career, which ranks ninth in program history.
Lafayette hit doubles in the first and fourth innings, and they were the only two baserunners the Leopards saw all day as the Bucknell defense clamped down for its second shutout of the weekend. The Bison won 4-0 in game one on Saturday before falling 6-4 in game two. Bucknell did not clinch a spot in the Patriot League tournament, ending league play 3-15.
Bucknell posted hits in each of the first three innings, but the defensive stalemate continued as a combined 10 batters were left on base. Marinelli struck out three batters over the first three innings before being replaced in the bottom of the fourth after a Lafayette leadoff double.
Rivait's homer came on just the second pitch of the sixth inning, clearing the left field fence with room to spare. Bucknell wasn't done, however, as Radican's single to left later in the inning drove in Chase Knapp to make it a 2-0 lead.
NICOLE. RIVAIT. 💣 Making the most of her final game at Bucknell! She breaks the tie and now sits alone at ninth in program history with 13 homers in her career. 👏
— Bucknell Softball (@Bucknell_SB) May 1, 2022
Watch: https://t.co/KeBqrS9m19#rayBucknell pic.twitter.com/t11QE1Lcta
Toomey struck out four of the final seven batters she faced, including all three in the seventh inning to preserve the shutout.
Lafayette's Kinzi Van Wyk received the loss, giving up six hits, two walks and both runs in 5.1 innings pitched.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Toomey, Kelly (5-13)
L: Van Wyk, Kinzi (5-14)
Batting:
2B: Baluch, Sarah 1
HR: Rivait, Nicole 1
RBI: Rivait, Nicole 1 ; Radican, Bella 1
SH: Hilling, MaKenzie 1 ; Hawkins, Annabella 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rivait, Nicole 1 ; Knapp, Chase 1
Batting:
2B: Bickett, Harlie 1 ; Harvey, Grace 1
Base Running:
HBP: Bickett, Harlie 1
