Softball Outlasts Lehigh for Series Win in 4-3 Thriller

Sunday, April 19

Lewisburg, Pa.

2 p.m.

Bucknell University

8-30-1, 5-7

Lehigh

23-23, 4-11

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Lehigh	0	0	0	1	1	1	0	3	5	3
Bucknell	0	1	0	2	1	0	X	4	7	2

Photo by: Steven Schoenfelder

Softball Outlasts Lehigh for Series Win in 4-3 Thriller

4/19/2026 4:36:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

LEWISBURG, Pa.- With realistic tournament hopes hanging in the balance on an overcast and blustery Sunday afternoon at Becker Field, Bucknell Softball emulated its first-year head coach's grit and found a way past the specter of Lehigh for the 4-3 win and the first series win over the Mountain Hawks since 2019. Bucknell (8-30-1, 5-7 Patriot League) used a combination of timely hitting and a complete game effort from a grinding rookie pitcher to down Lehigh (23-23, 4-11 Patriot League), who is in extreme danger of missing the Patriot League Tournament for the first time in program history.

"Winning the series against Lehigh was huge for us," said head coach Angie Stackhouse. "It keeps us right in the middle of the playoff hunt and shows the kind of team we are capable of being down the stretch. We got outstanding pitching in both wins, and when we needed it most, we came up with timely hits. That combination is what wins games this time of year, and it's something we are starting to do consistently. 'ray for the Orange and the Blue."

Bucknell scored first, broke a 1-1 deadlock with two runs, and answered every Lehigh challenge with clutch hits, strong pitching, and spectacular fielding. Outside of Avery Powers' pitching, upperclassmen powered Bucknell's win. Sarah Zimmerman, for the second time in the weekend, flashed a Gold Glove in right field and snagged the game-ending web gem to dismantle Lehigh's last hope. Brooke Popella smashed her 17th double of the season and produced a much-needed insurance run via an RBI single to pad Bucknell's advantage to 4-2. Molly Lawson and Marissa Rapino delivered RBI doubles for the 3-1 lead.

Powers, battling injury and collegiate usage, held a dangerous and aggressive Lehigh offense to three runs (two earned) and scattered five hits. Her three strikeouts came at critical junctions. The rookie knew the team needed her to go the distance and her effort followed in the footsteps of recently graduated Savannah Jones and Madison Roukey in pitching complete games when demanded.

Bucknell scored first with some Lehigh assistance in the second inning. Molly Lawson, with two outs, cracked a laser to center field. The ball took a misdirection on the center fielder and Lawson darted to second. Shea Malone hit a grounder to second. Kelly Fricker, Lehigh's star batter, positioned herself in front of it but booted the ball. The sphere skipped into center field and Lawson, running on contact, raced home.

A Bison error led to Lehigh's first run in the fourth inning. Fricker spoiled Powers' perfect game attempt with a masterpiece drag bunt. Peyton Sward attempted to emulate the move but Addison Taft, Bucknell's third baseman, pounced like a wildcat upon the ball. Her throw would have beaten Sward but the attempt flew over Reagan Powell's head. Zimmerman, playing a heady backup in right field, retrieved the errant vessel and threw it to Powell. The Bison second baseman, noticing that Sward wanted an extra base, fired it to second where Popella awaited. Bucknell's shortstop tagged out Sward and then saw Fricker breaking for home. Unable to set her feet, Popella's throw flew high and Lehigh tied the game but greater damage was averted.

The Bison immediately countered in their fourth frame. Popella regained her lead - with Fricker - atop the conference leaderboard for doubles with a leadoff two-bagger. Meadow Gambacurta grounded to third and was initially called safe when an errant throw pulled the first baseman's foot off the bag. Lehigh's veteran coach Fran Troyan, who was in charge when Stackhouse played for Bucknell in the early 2000s, argued the call. The umpires met and overturned the verdict. Popella smartly advanced to third.

Lawson walked to the plate and popped up in foul territory. Abby Tabaka, Lehigh's first baseman, settled under the ball but slipped before making the catch. Given new life, Lawson smacked another double and Popella scooted home. Skye Perez pinch ran for Lawson. Malone lined out to the shortstop. Stackhouse went to her bench for a pinch hitter and the strategy paid off. Rapino, pinch hitting for Taft, placed a double down the left field line, scoring Perez and putting Bucknell up 3-1.

RBI DOUBLES ARE BEST IN PAIRS!

Molly Lawson and Marissa Rapino deliver, and Bucknell leads 3-1!

Watch: https://t.co/AkEtKyrIOR @ESPNPlus | @PatriotLeague #rayBucknell | #Team48 pic.twitter.com/MAoNU4fWKj
— Bucknell Softball (@Bucknell_SB) April 19, 2026

Lehigh cut the deficit in half the next inning with some weather assistance. With one out, Lizzie Kern lifted a towering fly ball to the right field corner. Zimmerman tracked it down, but a combination of the gusty wind and the piercing sun, sent the ball beyond her glove for a triple. Tabaka, seeking atonement for her error, drove in Kern with a sacrifice fly.

The Bison gained an insurance run in the fifth inning. Zimmerman led off and reached on a catcher's interference. Haley Speicher grounded to the shortstop and the speedy slapper appeared to beat the throw. To the chagrin of the Becker Boosters, the umpire disagreed calling out the Bison center fielder. Barbara Jo Coppola fouled out to left field. Popella walked to the plate with two outs. The cleanup hitter performed her duty as expected, sending a 1-2 offering to center field for an RBI single.

POPELLA DEPOSITS AN INSURANCE RUN!

Watch: https://t.co/d2R4mJNiDg @ESPNPlus | @PatriotLeague #rayBucknell | #Team48 pic.twitter.com/ibMn57odCf
— Bucknell Softball (@Bucknell_SB) April 19, 2026

The Mountain Hawks, once again in dire peril, answered with a run. Gracie Smith led off with a single and Helen Woloshyn entered as a pinch runner. Woloshyn, 9-for-9 in stolen base attempts, ran her record to a Ricky Henderson-like 10-for-10. Fricker singled down the left field line and surprisingly did not attempt for a double. Sward scored Woloshyn on a sacrifice fly. Lovett doubled down the left field line and Lehigh had runners on second and third. In past campaigns, the Mountain Hawk hitting machine would have kept churning out results. This time, Powers flicked the off-switch. Sydney Parlett, attempting a suicide squeeze, had the ball run up her bat and Coppola snagged it for the second out. Megan Lodge grounded out to Popella, who zipped it across the field to a waiting Gambacurta. Crisis averted for the Orange & Blue.

Powers eschewed any drama in the seventh inning. Kern grounded out. Tabaka, having the season's most interesting occurrences on first base pop-ups, hit one to Gambacurta and barreled over the Bison during her attempt to catch it and was correctly called out for interference and, in basketball parlance, a blatant charge. Lola Fasano dinged a blooper to shallow right field. Zimmerman zoomed in and acrobatically collected the final out. Her Orange & Blue teammates mobbed the junior right fielder, as Bucknell celebrated its first series win in the Keystone Clash since 2019.

BISON WIN! BISON WIN!

ZIMMERMAN MAKES AN AMAZING CATCH, BATTLING THE WIND, TO WIN THE SERIES FOR BUCKNELL!

FIRST SERIES WIN OVER LEHIGH SINCE 2019!@PatriotLeague | @NCAASoftball | @ESPNPlus #rayBucknell | #Team48 | #SCTop10 pic.twitter.com/uP7M4sC4Ze
— Bucknell Softball (@Bucknell_SB) April 19, 2026

Bucknell welcomes Army next weekend for the final home series of 2026. The Bison will celebrate Senior Day on Saturday and look to stay alive for a tournament bid.