Bucknell University
8-16, 0-1
Colgate University
10-17, 1-0
Bison Split Opening Day of Conference Play
3/26/2023 6:26:00 PM | Softball
LEWISBURG, Pa.- The Bucknell Bison softball team (9-16) opened conference play by splitting the Sunday doubleheader with the Colgate Raiders at Becker Field. Colgate won the first game 10-8, and Bucknell clinched the second game 4-1.
The Bison held the 5-2 advantage in the first game before a seven-run sixth inning for the Raiders allowed the visitors from Hamilton, New York, to escape with the eventual 10-8 victory. The Bison fought back in the second game and won 4-1 to salvage the Sunday.
Game One: Colgate 10, Bucknell 8
Savannah Jones started in the circle for the Bison.
Colgate scored first via a leadoff walk and triple to right center field. Jones prevented further damage by bearing down and inducing two grounders to end the frame.
The Raiders added another run in the top of the third inning when with two outs, the runner on second scored off a Chase Knapp error. Jones once again prevented more damage by earning the third out.
Bucknell seized the lead in their frame of the third inning. Haley Speicher and Jones singled, and Zoie Smith plated a two-run double to tie the game. MaKenzie Hilling laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Smith to third. Ava Aguilar came through with a sharp single to center field to score Smith for the 3-2 lead.
The Bison added additional runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Knapp led off with a walk and stole second. Speicher walked as well. Both runners advanced a base on a passed ball. Jones singled to score both runners, and Bucknell had a 5-2 lead.
The lead held up until the top of the sixth inning. A strikeout started the inning. A double and a walk followed. Another double scored both Raiders and cut the deficit to 5-4. Another walk occurred, and Kaiya Burton entered the circle in relief of Olivia Marinelli. A passed ball tied the game. Once again, a walk followed along with a passed ball to give Colgate a 6-5 lead. An RBI grounder padded the lead to 7-5. A single and a double scored two more runs for the 9-5 margin. Madison Roukey then entered the circle and obtained the final out.
Bucknell scored a run back in their sixth inning. A Zoie Smith walk started the inning, and a Noelle Gardon walk followed. Lorberter singled to score Smith. A fielder's choice ended the inning at 9-6 Colgate.
Colgate added an insurance run in the seventh inning as two singles, and a grounder gave Colgate their tenth run.
The Bison fought to the end. Marissa Rapino had a pinch-hit double, and Speicher slashed a triple down the right-field line to score her. Jones walked. A Zoie Smith fielder's choice scored another run to make it 10-8, but a Hilling grounder ended the game.
Game Two: Bucknell 4, Colgate 1
Kaiya Burton started in the circle for the Bison and shut down Colgate to start the game.
The Bison scored a run in the bottom of the first inning. Knapp led off with a single and advanced to second on a passed ball. A Speicher sacrifice bunt placed her at third, and Jones drove her in with an RBI grounder.
Colgate tied it up in the third inning with three straight two-out singles. Burton remained calm and induced the third out to keep it at 1-1.
Hunter Vestal entered the circle in the fourth inning and, despite a two-out triple, kept the Raiders off the board.
Bucknell regained the lead in the fourth inning. Smith singled, and Gardon sacrificed her to second. Hilling and Aguilar reached on back-to-back errors by the second baseman. The second error scored Smith to give Bison a 2-1 lead.
Vestal kept dominating the Raiders with two more scoreless innings.
Bucknell added two insurance runs in the sixth inning. Smith led off with a double, and Nicole Lioumis was inserted as a pinch runner for her. Gardon walked. Hilling smashed a double to left field to score both runners for a 4-1 Bison advantage.
Olivia Marinelli entered the circle for the save opportunity. She quickly induced two outs. A walk and a single followed, but a three-pitch strikeout followed, and Bucknell had its first conference win of the year.
Up Next
The Bison and Raiders finish up the series tomorrow at 9 a.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Edwards, Mia (2-1)
L: Marinelli, Olivia (3-2)
S: Misken, Bailey (1)
Batting:
2B: Nardone, Adrienne 1 ; Jacoby, Steph 1 ; Livesay, Quinn 2
3B: Fusco, Kara 1
RBI: Herbst, Jillian 1 ; Fusco, Kara 2 ; Nardone, Adrienne 1 ; Livesay, Quinn 2 ; Murray, Cate 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Carney, Rachel 3 ; Fusco, Kara 1 ; Whalen, Claire 1 ; Ludwick, Taylor 2 ; Livesay, Quinn 1 ; Nitka, Elizabeth 1 ; Murray, Cate 1
Batting:
2B: Smith, Zoie 1 ; Rapino, Marissa 1
3B: Speicher, Haley 1
RBI: Speicher, Haley 1 ; Jones, Savannah 2 ; Smith, Zoie 3 ; Lorberter, Kailyn 1 ; Aguilar, Ava 1
SH: Hilling, MaKenzie 1 ; Aguilar, Ava 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Knapp, Chase 1 ; Speicher, Haley 3 ; Jones, Savannah 1 ; Smith, Zoie 2 ; Rapino, Marissa 1
SB: Knapp, Chase 1
CS: Aguilar, Ava 1
HBP: Lorberter, Kailyn 1
