Bucknell University Athletics
Friday, February 7
Stephenville, Tx.
2:15 p.m. (ET)/1:15 (CT)
Bucknell University
0-1
4
vs
13
McNeese State
1-1
1st innning1
2nd innning2
3rd innning3
4th innning4
5th innning5
RunsR
HitsH
ErrorsE
Bucknell
3
0
0
0
1
4
5
1
McNeese
4
0
1
3
5
13
12
0
Softball Opens 2025 Season with Two Losses at Texan Classic
2/7/2025 9:24:00 PM | Softball
STEPHENVILLE, Texas. – The Bucknell Bison softball team started the 2025 season with two losses at the Texan Classic. Bucknell (0-2) dropped the first game 13-4 to powerhouse McNeese State (2-1) in five innings and were edged 2-1 by host team Tarleton State (2-0) in the nightcap.
McNeese State Recap
The Bison batted first and struck for three runs. Patriot League Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Haley Speicher doubled to left center, Shea Malone playing for the first time since a season-ending injury in 2024 walked, and starting pitcher Savannah Jones also walked to load the bases. Brooke Popella strolled to the plate and cleared the bases with a double off the right field wall.
Bucknell's lead did not last long. A hit by pitch and a walk led to two runs when Dibbley doubled to right field. A single up the middle scored a third run. The runner stole second and scored when Angelina Seropian committed an error. Jones rallied to obtain three outs but the damage was done.
McNeese added another run in the third inning. A double and a single plated the run and chased Jones from the game. Mea Consentino entered the game and recorded the final two outs.
The Cowgirls tallied three more runs in the following frame for the 8-3 advantage. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases. A sacrifice fly scored one run and a double drove home two more runners.
Bucknell scored one run in the top of the fifth inning. Marissa Rapino and Skye Perez walked. Speicher loaded the bases with a perfect bunt single. Malone was called out on batter's interference. MaKenzie Hilling drove in a run with an RBI grounder. Jones popped up for the final out.
Sarah Zimmerman entered the circle for the Bison and yielded five runs to invoke the mercy rule. The frame started with a grounder but two walks followed. A double scored the first run. A single tallied the next one. Another single was next. A three-run homer over the right field wall made it 13-4 and ended the game in five innings.
Tarleton Recap
Madison Roukey started the game for Bucknell throwing two scoreless innings.
The Texans struck for their only runs in the third inning. A leadoff single began the frame before Roukey rallied for two outs. The Bison hurler left a hanging ball on a 2-1 count and Tarleton's Kalyn Hill jacked it over the left field wall.
Bucknell almost responded for a run in the next frame. Malone singled up the middle and Hilling doubled to left center. Third base coach Brad Posner sent Malone dashing for home. The sophomore outfielder appeared to beat the rally throw but the umpire disagreed. A Jones's pop-up ended the chance.
As usual, the Orange & Blue rallied in the later innings. The sole run occurred in the sixth stanza. The inning started with two outs before Speicher singled up the middle. Malone singled to right center and Speicher dashed to third base. A wild pitch scored Speicher and advanced Malone to second. Hilling attempted a clutch hit but was thrown out at first.
The Bison died hard in the final inning. Zimmerman grounded out. Popella walked triggering a pitching change. Nicole Lioumis flew out and Basso grounded out to end the game.
Up Next
The Bison continue the Texan Classic tomorrow with games versus McNeese State and Arkansas Pine Bluff.
McNeese State Recap
The Bison batted first and struck for three runs. Patriot League Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Haley Speicher doubled to left center, Shea Malone playing for the first time since a season-ending injury in 2024 walked, and starting pitcher Savannah Jones also walked to load the bases. Brooke Popella strolled to the plate and cleared the bases with a double off the right field wall.
Bucknell's lead did not last long. A hit by pitch and a walk led to two runs when Dibbley doubled to right field. A single up the middle scored a third run. The runner stole second and scored when Angelina Seropian committed an error. Jones rallied to obtain three outs but the damage was done.
McNeese added another run in the third inning. A double and a single plated the run and chased Jones from the game. Mea Consentino entered the game and recorded the final two outs.
The Cowgirls tallied three more runs in the following frame for the 8-3 advantage. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases. A sacrifice fly scored one run and a double drove home two more runners.
Bucknell scored one run in the top of the fifth inning. Marissa Rapino and Skye Perez walked. Speicher loaded the bases with a perfect bunt single. Malone was called out on batter's interference. MaKenzie Hilling drove in a run with an RBI grounder. Jones popped up for the final out.
Sarah Zimmerman entered the circle for the Bison and yielded five runs to invoke the mercy rule. The frame started with a grounder but two walks followed. A double scored the first run. A single tallied the next one. Another single was next. A three-run homer over the right field wall made it 13-4 and ended the game in five innings.
Tarleton Recap
Madison Roukey started the game for Bucknell throwing two scoreless innings.
The Texans struck for their only runs in the third inning. A leadoff single began the frame before Roukey rallied for two outs. The Bison hurler left a hanging ball on a 2-1 count and Tarleton's Kalyn Hill jacked it over the left field wall.
Bucknell almost responded for a run in the next frame. Malone singled up the middle and Hilling doubled to left center. Third base coach Brad Posner sent Malone dashing for home. The sophomore outfielder appeared to beat the rally throw but the umpire disagreed. A Jones's pop-up ended the chance.
As usual, the Orange & Blue rallied in the later innings. The sole run occurred in the sixth stanza. The inning started with two outs before Speicher singled up the middle. Malone singled to right center and Speicher dashed to third base. A wild pitch scored Speicher and advanced Malone to second. Hilling attempted a clutch hit but was thrown out at first.
The Bison died hard in the final inning. Zimmerman grounded out. Popella walked triggering a pitching change. Nicole Lioumis flew out and Basso grounded out to end the game.
Up Next
The Bison continue the Texan Classic tomorrow with games versus McNeese State and Arkansas Pine Bluff.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Dibbley, Alexis (1-0)
L: Jones, Savannah (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Speicher, Haley 1 ; Popella, Brooke 1
RBI: Hilling, MaKenzie 1 ; Popella, Brooke 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Speicher, Haley 1 ; Malone, Shea 1 ; Jones, Savannah 1 ; Zimmerman, Sarah 1
SB: Dailor, Kate 1
Batting:
2B: Dibbley, Alexis 1 ; Reyna, Reese 1 ; Mundine, Samantha 1 ; Allen, Sarah 1
HR: Dibbley, Alexis 1
RBI: Fontenot, N 1 ; Dibbley, Alexis 6 ; Reyna, Reese 2 ; Mundine, Samantha 1 ; Bouvier, Rylie 1 ; Allen, Sarah 1
SF: Dibbley, Alexis 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Fontenot, N 3 ; Munoz, Jada 3 ; Dibbley, Alexis 2 ; Mundine, Samantha 2 ; Fontenot, Brylie 1 ; McElroy, Onna 1 ; Eyster, Rylee 1
SB: Fontenot, N 1 ; Mundine, Samantha 1 ; Chance, Kassidy 2
CS: Bouvier, Rylie 1
HBP: Fontenot, N 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
2
RBI
3
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
LHP
/ Softball
C/1B
/ Softball
RHP/OF
/ Softball
C/3B
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballINF/U
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
C/IF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
LHP/OF
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