Bucknell University Athletics
Friday, February 20
Greensboro, N.C.
11 a.m.
Bucknell University
1-5
3
vs
11
Kent State
6-4
1
2
3
4
5
6
R
H
E
Kent State University
0
2
4
5
0
11
11
1
Bucknell
0
3
0
0
0
3
2
2
Photo by: Aiden Pelphrey
Softball Drops Pair of Run-Rule Games
2/20/2026 7:48:00 PM | Softball
GREENSBORO, N.C.- Bucknell (1-6) dropped a pair of run-rule games to start the UNCG Invitational on Friday. Bucknell fell 11-3 (5) to Kent State (7-4) and 13-5 (5) to UNCG (6-5).Â
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Kent State Recap
Bucknell led 3-2 after two innings before Kent State scored nine unanswered runs to win 11-3 in a shortened five-inning affair. Rain delayed the start time by one hour and 30 minutes.
Avery Powers started in the circle for the Bison and she and the Kent State pitcher Riley Miller each tossed a scoreless first inning.
The Golden Flashes struck first in the second inning. Back-to-back doubles followed by a triple plated two runs for the Ohioan team.
Bucknell counterattacked with three runs in its second opportunity. Meadow Gambacurta walked and Brooke Popella reached on a fielding error. Addison "Sonny" Taft pinch ran for Gambacurta. Molly Lawson, playing on her native soil, walked to load the bases. Shea Malone delivered a two-run single, scoring Taft and Popella. Angelina Seropian's grounder advanced Lawson to third base. A Marissa Rapino sacrifice fly scored Lawson and gave Bucknell the 3-2 advantage.
The lead disappeared the next inning. A double, hit by pitch, and a bunt single loaded the bases. A walk yielded the tying run. A Malone fielding error scored the next run. A two-run double added two more to Kent State's ledger.
Nina Barrouk started the fourth inning and immediately ran into trouble when the leadoff hitter reached on Molly Lawson's throwing error. A strikeout followed but an infield single and two stolen bases put runners in scoring position. A hit by pitch loaded the bases. A sacrifice fly and a double plated two runs. The hit parade continued with a two-run single and another RBI double.
The Bison were unable to obtain a run to extend the game and Kent State earned the five-inning 11-3 victory.
UNCG Recap
Brooke Popella cranked Bucknell's first home run of 2026 but the Bison could not keep pace with their former head coach Janelle Breneman's Spartans in a 13-5 defeat.Â
The Bison offense started fast, scoring right off the bat in the first inning. With two outs, Skye Perez was hit by a pitch. Gambacurta walked, and Popella smashed an RBI double for the 1-0 lead.Â
Sarah Zimmerman received the start and the Spartans, a regional Southern power, wasted no time in defending their homeland. A single and two walks loaded the bases. A sacrifice fly scored the first run. A fly out followed but a hit by pitch reloaded the bases. The Bison were about to be out of the inning but Brooke Popella's throwing allowed two runs to score and UNCG led 3-1.Â
Bucknell regained a run in the next inning. Rapino and Tori Kirkpatrick started the inning with walks. Zimmerman laid down a bunt and the speedy lefty reached to load the bases. Haley Speicher popped up. Lawson came through with an RBI single. But Perez and Gambacurta left the bases loaded.Â
The roof collapsed in the next frame. A walk and a single brought Macy Michael to the plate. Michael's three-run homer cleared the bases. Two doubles and a single scored two more runs and induced a pitching change. Payton Hale arrived and doused UNCG's fire.Â
UNCG added two more runs in the fourth inning. A double and a walk were sandwiched around two outs. Another double scored two runs and chased Hale from the game. Barrouk finished the frame without yielding more runs.Â
The Spartans brought in a new pitcher looking for the win in five innings. Their plan met with the same success as their namesakes' strategy did at Leuctra. Perez walked, Gambacurta hit a bunt single, and Popella jacked a three-run moon shot over the left field fence into the Tarheel night.Â
Angered, UNCG sought and found a softball version of Aegospotami in its fifth frame. Nya South's sole home run started the inning. A single brought the winning run to the plate and a two-run homer ended the game in five innings.Â
Up Next
Bucknell plays Kent State at 10 a.m. and Canisius at 12:30 p.m. tomorrow.Â
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Kent State Recap
Bucknell led 3-2 after two innings before Kent State scored nine unanswered runs to win 11-3 in a shortened five-inning affair. Rain delayed the start time by one hour and 30 minutes.
Avery Powers started in the circle for the Bison and she and the Kent State pitcher Riley Miller each tossed a scoreless first inning.
The Golden Flashes struck first in the second inning. Back-to-back doubles followed by a triple plated two runs for the Ohioan team.
Bucknell counterattacked with three runs in its second opportunity. Meadow Gambacurta walked and Brooke Popella reached on a fielding error. Addison "Sonny" Taft pinch ran for Gambacurta. Molly Lawson, playing on her native soil, walked to load the bases. Shea Malone delivered a two-run single, scoring Taft and Popella. Angelina Seropian's grounder advanced Lawson to third base. A Marissa Rapino sacrifice fly scored Lawson and gave Bucknell the 3-2 advantage.
The lead disappeared the next inning. A double, hit by pitch, and a bunt single loaded the bases. A walk yielded the tying run. A Malone fielding error scored the next run. A two-run double added two more to Kent State's ledger.
Nina Barrouk started the fourth inning and immediately ran into trouble when the leadoff hitter reached on Molly Lawson's throwing error. A strikeout followed but an infield single and two stolen bases put runners in scoring position. A hit by pitch loaded the bases. A sacrifice fly and a double plated two runs. The hit parade continued with a two-run single and another RBI double.
The Bison were unable to obtain a run to extend the game and Kent State earned the five-inning 11-3 victory.
UNCG Recap
Brooke Popella cranked Bucknell's first home run of 2026 but the Bison could not keep pace with their former head coach Janelle Breneman's Spartans in a 13-5 defeat.Â
The Bison offense started fast, scoring right off the bat in the first inning. With two outs, Skye Perez was hit by a pitch. Gambacurta walked, and Popella smashed an RBI double for the 1-0 lead.Â
Sarah Zimmerman received the start and the Spartans, a regional Southern power, wasted no time in defending their homeland. A single and two walks loaded the bases. A sacrifice fly scored the first run. A fly out followed but a hit by pitch reloaded the bases. The Bison were about to be out of the inning but Brooke Popella's throwing allowed two runs to score and UNCG led 3-1.Â
Bucknell regained a run in the next inning. Rapino and Tori Kirkpatrick started the inning with walks. Zimmerman laid down a bunt and the speedy lefty reached to load the bases. Haley Speicher popped up. Lawson came through with an RBI single. But Perez and Gambacurta left the bases loaded.Â
The roof collapsed in the next frame. A walk and a single brought Macy Michael to the plate. Michael's three-run homer cleared the bases. Two doubles and a single scored two more runs and induced a pitching change. Payton Hale arrived and doused UNCG's fire.Â
UNCG added two more runs in the fourth inning. A double and a walk were sandwiched around two outs. Another double scored two runs and chased Hale from the game. Barrouk finished the frame without yielding more runs.Â
The Spartans brought in a new pitcher looking for the win in five innings. Their plan met with the same success as their namesakes' strategy did at Leuctra. Perez walked, Gambacurta hit a bunt single, and Popella jacked a three-run moon shot over the left field fence into the Tarheel night.Â
Angered, UNCG sought and found a softball version of Aegospotami in its fifth frame. Nya South's sole home run started the inning. A single brought the winning run to the plate and a two-run homer ended the game in five innings.Â
Up Next
Bucknell plays Kent State at 10 a.m. and Canisius at 12:30 p.m. tomorrow.Â
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Miller, Riley (5-1)
L: Powers, Avery (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Porter, Ashlyn 1 ; Camacho, Ciara 2 ; Shaulis, Caleigh 2 ; Johnson, Leilani 1 ; Libler, Brynn 1
3B: Aberle, Brooke 1
RBI: Aberle, Brooke 1 ; Camacho, Ciara 3 ; Shaulis, Caleigh 1 ; Quinn, Gabby 2 ; Johnson, Leilani 3
SF: Quinn, Gabby 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nogay, Aaralyn 1 ; Porter, Ashlyn 2 ; Claerhout, Megan 1 ; Shaulis, Caleigh 3 ; Quinn, Gabby 1 ; Johnson, Leilani 2 ; Libler, Brynn 1
SB: Nogay, Aaralyn 3 ; Porter, Ashlyn 1 ; Camacho, Ciara 1
HBP: Porter, Ashlyn 1 ; Claerhout, Megan 1
Batting:
RBI: Rapino, Marissa 1 ; Malone, Shea 2
SH: Lawson, Molly 1
SF: Rapino, Marissa 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Taft, Addison "Sonny" 1 ; Lawson, Molly 1 ; Popella, Brooke 1
Game Leaders
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
2
AB
2
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
AB
0
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
P
/ Softball
1B/3B
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF/U
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
C/IF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
LHP/OF
/ SoftballIn The Herd: Hobart Game Preview And Mike Myer Feature
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