Bucknell University
10-20, 2-5
Army
14-23, 5-2
Softball Splits First Day of Army Series; Jones Wins First Career Game
4/8/2023 7:19:00 PM | Softball
WEST POINT, N.Y.- The Bucknell Bison softball team (10-21, 2-6 PL) split the first-day doubleheader of the three-game series with the Army Black Knights (15-23, 6-2 PL). Bucknell picked up the win in game one, 6-4, and dropped a heartbreaker in game two, 3-2.
Bucknell led the entire game in the 6-4 win over Army. Savannah Jones pitched the complete game gem to obtain the first win of her collegiate career. Noelle Gardon homered off the scoreboard to unlock her first collegiate bomb. The Bison led for most of the second game 2-0 before Army rallied for three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Game One Recap: Bucknell 6, Army 4
Bucknell struck for two runs in the top of the first inning. Haley Speicher singled and stole second. MaKenzie Hilling singled to set up runners at the corners. Zoie Smith, the double-maker expert, smacked one of her patented line drives into the left-center field gap. Speicher scored, Hilling was thrown out at home on a relay, and Smith went to third on the throw. Savannah Jones singled in Smith for a 2-0 Bucknell lead.
Savannah Jones started in the circle for Bucknell and kept the Black Knights off the scoreboard despite a leadoff walk.
Army threatened in the second inning when the Bison committed two infield errors, but Jones kept her cool and prevented any runs.
Neither team scored again until Bucknell added a run in the top of the fifth inning. Marissa Rapino reached on an error by the pitcher. Annabella Hawkins and Speicher both singled to load the board. Hilling slapped a dart into right field to score Rapino. With the score 3-0 Bucknell and the bases loaded with no outs, the Bison looked poised for the kill shot. However, a pitching change for Army obtained three straight outs.
Bucknell kept the momentum going in the top of the sixth inning. Noelle Gardon homered to lead off the frame. That was the junior third baseman's first collegiate home run. It was a tremendous blow that bounced off the scoreboard. Kailyn Lorberter then singled and had Bella Radican pinch run for her. A sacrifice bunt moved Radican to second. Hawkins laid down a beautiful bunt single, and the first baseman mishandled the ball, allowing Radican to score. Speicher reached on an error, but two strikeouts ended the frame.
Army finally scored in their half of the sixth inning. Two singles and a passed ball set up a situation where a groundball scored a run for Army to make it 5-1 Bucknell.
Bucknell added a crucial insurance run in the top of the seventh inning. Jones led off with a single and stole second. Two strikeouts followed, and then Jones stole third base. With Lorberter battling at the plate, a passed ball allowed Jones to score. Lorberter finished the inning with a strikeout, but Bucknell was up 6-1.
Army died hard in their frame. The leadoff hitter reached on a Chase Knapp error, and a pinch hitter singled. A double to right field scored the first run. A walk followed. Two straight grounders scored two runs for Army to decrease the deficit to 6-4. With the tying run at the plate, Jones induced one final grounder to secure the win.
Game Two Recap: Army 3, Bucknell 2
Olivia Marinelli started in the circle for the Bison.
Both teams were shut down 1-2-3 in the first inning.
Bucknell scored twice in the second inning. Gardon walked, and Knapp singled to left field. Lorberter singled to the pitcher and advanced to second when the pitcher threw a wild ball to first base. The error allowed Gardon to score. Juliette Basso singled to left field to score Knapp for the 2-0 lead. The rally ended when Hawkins lined into a double play.
The Bison missed a chance to extend the lead in the top of the third inning. Hilling reached on a dropped strike three, and Smith singled. But a pop-up and a fly-out ended the frame.
Bucknell left two more ducks on the pond in the fifth inning. Hilling walked, and Smith singled, but a fly-out and grounder ended the threat.
Army counterattacked in the bottom of the sixth inning to seize the lead. A leadoff single and a hit batsman started the inning. A grounder advanced both runners to third. A single to right field scored both runners, and an error by the right fielder placed the batter at second. Another single scored said batter to give Army the lead. A line-out finally ended the frame.
The Bison made contact in the top of the seventh inning, but all three batted balls found Army gloves, and Bucknell fell 3-2.
Up Next
Bucknell concludes the series with Army with a game at noon tomorrow.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Jones, Savannah (1-6)
L: Eaglin, Amanda (5-6)
Batting:
2B: Smith, Zoie 1
HR: Gardon, Noelle 1
RBI: Hilling, MaKenzie 1 ; Smith, Zoie 1 ; Jones, Savannah 1 ; Gardon, Noelle 1
SH: Rapino, Marissa 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Speicher, Haley 1 ; Smith, Zoie 1 ; Jones, Savannah 1 ; Gardon, Noelle 1 ; Radican, Bella 1 ; Rapino, Marissa 1
SB: Speicher, Haley 1 ; Jones, Savannah 2
Batting:
2B: Mitchell, Brook 1
RBI: Mitchell, Brook 1 ; Brown, Taylor 1 ; Edwards, Kayla 1 ; Wilkes, Maddie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Mitchell, Brook 1 ; Edwards, Kayla 1 ; Snyder, Grace 1 ; Farris, Julia 1
SB: Mitchell, Brook 1
