Third Inning Woes Result in Two Defeats for Softball

Saturday, February 7

Commerce, Texas

12:15 p.m. ET/11:15 a.m. CT

Bucknell University

0-3

Stephen F. Austin

4-0

SFA

Bucknell

Photo by: Elayna Felder

Third Inning Woes Result in Two Defeats for Softball

2/7/2026 8:36:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

COMMERCE, Texas.- Two disastrous third innings spelled trouble for Bucknell (0-4) on day two of the East Texas A&M Leadoff. The Bison fell 8-0 to Stephen F. Austin (4-0) in five innings and dropped a 7-3 contest to South Dakota State (3-1).

Stephen F. Austin Recap

The Lumberjacks used an eight-run frame in the third stanza to run rule the Bison in five innings. Bucknell's offense after scoring 15 runs on Friday was held to a single hit.

Nina Barrouk received her first collegiate start and went 4 2/3 innings.

The third inning cannonade started with Ella Hill's double. Kaylee Paul laid down a bunt single and swiped second. Jamie Varga singled home both teammates and advanced to second on the throw home. Ellie Vance singled up Varga and the Lumberjacks led 3-0.

Morgan Wright walked and she and Vance advanced a base on a wild pitch. Lilly Bean and Kara Pride displayed selfless teamwork with back-to-back sacrifice flies.
SFA reset its offensive path with a Mallory Dwyer single. Malia Jones walked. Hill, who started the inning, fittingly delivered its crescendo with a home run over the center field wall. SFA had the eight runs it needed.

Bucknell prevented the further ignominy of a no-hitter when Meadow Gambacurta cracked a frozen rope single to left field. The Bison were unable to extend the game. Molly Lawson fouled out and Skye Perez lined into a game-ending double play.

South Dakota State Recap

Bucknell jumped out to a 2-0 lead but a five-run third inning for the Jackrabbits plunged the Bison into a fourth straight defeat. The Orange & Blue scored another run and had the bases loaded but could not punch across any more runners and SDSU added two insurance runs for the 7-3 victory.

Unlike the previous game, Bucknell collected its first hit right away. Haley Speicher led off with a single and Barbara Jo Coppola sliced a double down the left field line. Speicher slid under the relay tag and Coppola advanced to third. Shea Malone plated Coppola with an RBI grounder.

Sarah Zimmerman received the starting assignment and threw two scoreless innings before the devastating third inning.

Mia Buske led off with a single but Zimmerman obtained two straight outs. Then, the hit parade commenced. Abby Gentry singled. Ella Berlage smashed an RBI double. Emma Christensen's single scored two more runs. Back-to-back RBI doubles made it 5-2.

Bucknell responded with a run in its next at-bats. Brooke Popella slammed a double and scored on a Skye Perez RBI single. Two more singles had the bases loaded with two outs. Speicher hit a spinning grounder to second. The throw barely caught the speedy slapper. Bucknell challenged the call but replay upheld the original judgment.

SDSU got the run back in its fourth frame. Akayla Barnard collected a double. Payton Hale relieved Zimmerman of pitching duties. Abby Gentry added another double to score Barnard.

Avery Power started the sixth inning for Bucknell and gave up a run on a double, single, and sacrifice fly.

The Bison were retired in order to end the game.

Up Next

Bucknell completes the East Texas A&M Leadoff tomorrow morning against St. Bonaventure.