Friday, February 23
Jackson Township, N.J.
4 p.m.
Bucknell University
3-5
5
vs
4
Hofstra
1-3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Bucknell
0
0
0
2
0
2
1
5
7
1
Hofstra
2
1
0
1
0
0
0
4
8
1
Softball Wins Doubleheader Over Hofstra
2/24/2024 12:32:00 AM | Softball
JACKSON TOWNSHIP, N.J.- The Bucknell Bison softball team (4-5) defeated the Hofstra Pride in a doubleheader on Friday afternoon at the Adventure Crossing USA complex. The Orange & Blue won 5-4 and 4-0. Bucknell used clutch hitting and decisive pitching to clinch the wins over a Hofstra team that participated in the 2023 Norman Regional. Hunter Vestal picked up her second career victory in the first game, and Madison Roukey twirled a complete game shutout in the second contest.
Game One Recap
Savannah Jones started in the circle for the Bison. Hofstra tallied two runs in the first inning. Manto was hit by a pitch and then stole second. Yepez and Vaillancourt walked. A single to center field scored two runs. Jones settled down and obtained two grounders to end the frame.
The Pride added a third run in the second inning. Hofstra did its damage after two strikeouts commenced the inning. Manto's single and stolen base allowed her to score on a Yepez single. A walk followed, but a grounder prevented any more damage.
Bucknell had its first scoring opportunity in the top of the third inning when Elena Horn walked and Haley Speicher singled to second base. However, Zoie Smith's strikeout ended the chance.
The Bison broke through for runs in the fourth inning. MaKenzie Hilling singled and advanced to second on Jones' sacrifice bunt. Brooke Popella bashed a single to set up runners at the corners. A Noelle Gardon fielder's choice scored Hilling. Shea Malone pounded a single to right center for her first collegiate hit. Annabella Hawkins, displaying a senior's touch for the clutch, slashed a single to left field to score Gardon. Basso grounded out to end the inning, but Bucknell only trailed 3-2.
Hunter Vestal entered the circle in the bottom of the fourth inning. Hofstra's Wilson tripled to right center, and Manto singled. Wilson scored when Popella could not corral the spinning sphere after Wilson reached safety. Vestal prevented any more runs after Manto was caught stealing by Zoie Smith, and two strikeouts were obtained.
Bucknell tied the game in the sixth inning. Popella and Gardon walked. Malone continued her hot night with a single to center field for her first collegiate RBI. A Hawkins walk loaded the bases. Horn grounded out. However, Gardon scored to tie the game at 4-4. Molly Lawson pinch-hit but hit a fly-out to end the opportunity.
The Bison seized the lead in the seventh inning. Zoie Smith led off and smashed a home run over the 225-foot right-center fence. No further insurance runs were added, but Bucknell had the 5-4 advantage.
Vestal allowed a leadoff single and a stolen base by Yepez. A grounder advanced her to third. A fielder's choice followed, but Yepez was called out for violating her established baseline. A grounder to Vestal ended the game for the Bison.
Game Two Recap
Madison Roukey received the start in game two and pitched a gem, allowing only three hits and striking 11 batters to set a career-high. She did start slowly giving up two singles in the first inning but recovered to prevent any runs.
Bucknell tallied twice in its first frame. Malone doubled over the center fielder's head, and Smith walked. A swinging bunt by Hilling advanced both runners. Jones singled to score Malone, and Smith and Bucknell led 2-0.
Hofstra had its best scoring opportunity in the third inning. Manto reached on a Smith throwing error, and Catanzarita and Malinowski walked to load the bases with two outs. Roukey proved the master and struck out Fitzgerald to leave the bases loaded.
The Bison had a chance to add more runs in the fourth inning. Popella walked, and Ava Aguilar singled through the right side. The two runners advanced on a passed ball, but Hawkins' lineout to left field ended the inning.
Hofstra had another chance to tally in the fifth inning. Yepez reached on a Roukey error, and Catanzarita walked. Roukey was unfazed, obtaining two strikeouts to extinguish the threat.
Bucknell added two insurance runs in the fifth inning. Horn reached on an error and advanced to second base on Malone's sacrifice. Smith drove a single up the middle to score Horn. Hilling reached on an error, and both runners advanced on a wild pitch. Jones hit a grounder to score Smith and give the Bison a 4-0 lead.
Roukey proved nearly unhittable over the final two innings, yielding only a single and collecting four strikeouts to prevent any late comeback. A final strikeout closed the game on a triumphant note.
Up Next
The Bison will play FDU tomorrow at 1 p.m.
Game One Recap
Savannah Jones started in the circle for the Bison. Hofstra tallied two runs in the first inning. Manto was hit by a pitch and then stole second. Yepez and Vaillancourt walked. A single to center field scored two runs. Jones settled down and obtained two grounders to end the frame.
The Pride added a third run in the second inning. Hofstra did its damage after two strikeouts commenced the inning. Manto's single and stolen base allowed her to score on a Yepez single. A walk followed, but a grounder prevented any more damage.
Bucknell had its first scoring opportunity in the top of the third inning when Elena Horn walked and Haley Speicher singled to second base. However, Zoie Smith's strikeout ended the chance.
The Bison broke through for runs in the fourth inning. MaKenzie Hilling singled and advanced to second on Jones' sacrifice bunt. Brooke Popella bashed a single to set up runners at the corners. A Noelle Gardon fielder's choice scored Hilling. Shea Malone pounded a single to right center for her first collegiate hit. Annabella Hawkins, displaying a senior's touch for the clutch, slashed a single to left field to score Gardon. Basso grounded out to end the inning, but Bucknell only trailed 3-2.
Hunter Vestal entered the circle in the bottom of the fourth inning. Hofstra's Wilson tripled to right center, and Manto singled. Wilson scored when Popella could not corral the spinning sphere after Wilson reached safety. Vestal prevented any more runs after Manto was caught stealing by Zoie Smith, and two strikeouts were obtained.
Bucknell tied the game in the sixth inning. Popella and Gardon walked. Malone continued her hot night with a single to center field for her first collegiate RBI. A Hawkins walk loaded the bases. Horn grounded out. However, Gardon scored to tie the game at 4-4. Molly Lawson pinch-hit but hit a fly-out to end the opportunity.
The Bison seized the lead in the seventh inning. Zoie Smith led off and smashed a home run over the 225-foot right-center fence. No further insurance runs were added, but Bucknell had the 5-4 advantage.
Vestal allowed a leadoff single and a stolen base by Yepez. A grounder advanced her to third. A fielder's choice followed, but Yepez was called out for violating her established baseline. A grounder to Vestal ended the game for the Bison.
Game Two Recap
Madison Roukey received the start in game two and pitched a gem, allowing only three hits and striking 11 batters to set a career-high. She did start slowly giving up two singles in the first inning but recovered to prevent any runs.
Bucknell tallied twice in its first frame. Malone doubled over the center fielder's head, and Smith walked. A swinging bunt by Hilling advanced both runners. Jones singled to score Malone, and Smith and Bucknell led 2-0.
Hofstra had its best scoring opportunity in the third inning. Manto reached on a Smith throwing error, and Catanzarita and Malinowski walked to load the bases with two outs. Roukey proved the master and struck out Fitzgerald to leave the bases loaded.
The Bison had a chance to add more runs in the fourth inning. Popella walked, and Ava Aguilar singled through the right side. The two runners advanced on a passed ball, but Hawkins' lineout to left field ended the inning.
Hofstra had another chance to tally in the fifth inning. Yepez reached on a Roukey error, and Catanzarita walked. Roukey was unfazed, obtaining two strikeouts to extinguish the threat.
Bucknell added two insurance runs in the fifth inning. Horn reached on an error and advanced to second base on Malone's sacrifice. Smith drove a single up the middle to score Horn. Hilling reached on an error, and both runners advanced on a wild pitch. Jones hit a grounder to score Smith and give the Bison a 4-0 lead.
Roukey proved nearly unhittable over the final two innings, yielding only a single and collecting four strikeouts to prevent any late comeback. A final strikeout closed the game on a triumphant note.
Up Next
The Bison will play FDU tomorrow at 1 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Vestal, Hunter (1-1)
L: Pisapia, A (0-1)
Batting:
HR: Smith, Zoie 1
RBI: Horn, Elena 1 ; Smith, Zoie 1 ; Gardon, Noelle 1 ; Malone, Shea 1 ; Hawkins, Annabella 1
SH: Jones, Savannah 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Smith, Zoie 1 ; Hilling, MaKenzie 1 ; Popella, Brooke 1 ; Gardon, Noelle 2
Batting:
3B: Wilson, K. 1
RBI: Yepez, L 1 ; Malinowski 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Manto, C 2 ; Yepez, L 1 ; Wilson, K. 1
SB: Manto, C 2 ; Yepez, L 1
CS: Manto, C 1
HBP: Manto, C 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
dh/c
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballC/1B
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP/OF
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballC/Util
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
RHP
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