Softball Edges Army in Nine-Inning Thriller

Sunday, April 26

Lewisburg, Pa.

12 p.m.

Bucknell University

8-31-1, 5-8

Army

28-22, 8-5

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Army West Point	2	5	0	0	0	0	3	10	10	3
Bucknell	0	0	2	0	1	0	0	3	7	2

Photo by: Steven Schoenfelder

4/26/2026 5:33:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

LEWISBURG, Pa.- Bucknell Softball (9-30-1, 6-8 Patriot League) kept its postseason hopes alive with a split doubleheader against Army (28-23, 8-6 Patriot League) on Sunday at Becker Field. The Bison dropped the first game 10-3 but rebounded for a 6-5 thriller in nine innings. The victory capped a Senior Day which celebrated five seniors: Mea Consentino, Nicole Lioumis, Marissa Rapino, Angelina Seropian, and Haley Speicher.

The Orange & Blue fell behind early in the first game and never caught up to the hard-charging Black Knights. The second contest started the same with Army leading 4-0 and looking to cruise to a decisive doubleheader win. Bucknell had other plans and continued to chip away at the lead. Army's errors and timely hitting gave Bucknell a 5-4 lead. The Black Knights forced extra innings on a solo home run. The teams traded scoreless frames before Barbara Jo Coppola hit a walkoff double for the 6-5 win.

Game One Recap

Mea Consentino received the starting assignment on Senior Day but the Black Knights spoiled her storybook narrative scoring seven runs in 1 2/3 innings.

Army's potent 1-2 punch in Taylor Brown and Ashton White launched the barrage. Brown doubled and White slammed a two-run homer.

The Black Knights added five runs in the second inning. Three singles scored the first run. Brooke Popella bobbled her fellow shortstop Brown's grounder and another run scored. White slashed another single for the inning's third run. Caitlyn Newburn cracked another RBI single and Nina Barrouk entered in relief. Army tried to pull off a double steal and while the runner on third scored, Newburn was thrown out trying to score.

Bucknell scored two runs in the third inning thanks to Brown's two errors. Reagan Powell singled and Sarah Zimmerman reached on Brown's first error. Speicher singled to load the bases. Two straight fielder choices by Coppola and Popella cut down Powell and Zimmerman at home. Molly Lawson hit a grounder to Brown and the Army shortstop botched the play, allowing two runs to score.

The Bison cut the deficit to a 7-3 football score in the fifth inning but left meat on the bone. Speicher singled, Coppola struck out, Popella walked, and Lawson singled to fill the bases. Meadow Gambacurta hit a fielder's choice scoring Speicher. Shea Malone's grounder ended the big chance.

Katelyn Flanders entered the circle in relief of Breanna Izzo and shut down the Bison's burgeoning comeback efforts over the last two innings.

Army added three insurance runs in the seventh inning. Sienna Tepley reached on Gambacurta's error, advanced to second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a fly ball, and scored on an RBI single. Newburn topped off the game with a two-run shot.

Game Two Recap

The Bison battled and scraped for the crucial win that placed the Orange & Blue in sole possession of fourth place in the Patriot League standings. Avery Powers started the game, was chased, returned to the contest to douse some flames, yielded the tying run, and ultimately prevailed in the 6-5 victory.

The Black Knights charged to a 3-0 lead after three batters. Tepley singled, Brown reached on Powers' error, and White homered over the left field wall.

Taylor Brown homered in the second inning. White doubled down the left field line and Payton Hale entered the circle with two outs. Hale became the umsung hero of the game, tossing four scoreless innings and holding down the Black Knights while the offense commenced the comeback.

The rally started in Bucknell's second inning. Gambacurta tripled over the right fielder's head and stormed around the bases. Shea Malone slammed a hot one past the third baseman and the Bison had a run.

Army committed several miscues in the fourth inning and the Bison devised advantage. Popella singled and Gambacurta reached on a Brown error. Both runners advanced a base on a passed ball. Malone singled up the middle, scoring Popella. Lawson plated another run with an RBI grounder.

Bucknell grabbed the lead in the fifth inning. Zimmerman singled to third base. Speicher laid down a sacrifice bunt and reached on a dropped catch. Coppola executed a perfect sacrifice bunt to advance both runners. Popella smoked a pitch but the ball went right to the third baseman for the second out. Gambacurta stepped up and delivered like a veteran. The rookie first baseman slashed a two-run single, and while she was thrown out trying to advance to second, Bucknell led.

Army opened the sixth inning with a Tayten Moore single. She attemped to steal but a Coppola throw erased her out. Tepley lined out. Brown walked on four pitches and White sneaked a single through the left side. Coach Stackhouse went back to Powers and the maneuver worked. Addison "Sonny" Taft gobbled up Newburn's grounder and threw across the field to Gambacurta.

Powers eliminated the first two Black Knights in the seventh inning on swinging strikeouts. Pinch hitter Makaila Moosbrugger was down to her final strike before striking for a game-tying home run.

Flanders, who entered in the sixth inning, struck out Powell and Zimmerman. Speicher reached on another error by Brown. Coppola's single found a gap and Bucknell had runners at the corners. Popella popped up to second and the game went to extra innings.

Bucknell had another chance for a walk-off win in the eighth inning. Malone singled and advanced to second on a passed ball. Taft walked but a Powell strikeout stranded them.

Powers played great escape in the ninth inning. Hannah Laub led off with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. A pop-up followed. Powell's error gave Army new life. A perfect bunt single loaded the bases. Powers remained calm and induced the third out on a fly ball.

The Orange & Blue ended affairs in its ninth frame. Zimmerman led off with a sizzling liner that curved back towards the center fielder. Speicher singled to second base and out-raced the throw. Coppola stepped up to the plate and hit a scorching drive over the left fielder's head. Army never had a chance to throw out the speedy Speicher.

Tournament Implications

Boston sits first at 16-2 and has clinched the number one seed and homefield advantage. Colgate swept Lafayette this weekend to grab second place at 10-5. Army slots third at 8-6. Bucknell currently occupies the final spot at 6-8. Lafayette, 5-10, owns fifth but has the tiebreaker with Bucknell. Holy Cross and Lehigh are tied for last place at 4-11.

Up Next

The series concludes tomorrow with a rubber match at 1 p.m.