April 13, 2002
EASTON, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) -
The Lafayette softball team split a doubleheader versus league foe Bucknell on Saturday at Metzgar Field. The Leopards outlasted Bucknell, 4-3, after a 12-inning first game and fell, 8-5 in game two.
After five scoreless innings, the Bison struck first in game one with a two-run homer from Angela Stackhouse that scored Courtney Dohoney.
The Leopards fought back in the bottom of the seventh inning with two runs of their own to tie the game, 2-2. Kelly Wise got the ball rolling with a single through the left side. After Mara Shainheit walked, Leigh Minarick hit a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners to scoring position. Sophomore Megan Longo stepped to the plate to belt a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring pinch runner Abby Weichert and Shainheit.
After four more scoreless innings, Bucknell managed a run in the top of the 12th. Dohoney doubled to left field, allowing pinch runner Jacqueline Trapp to score for a 3-2 Bison lead.
Down one run in the bottom of the 12th inning, Shainheit began the Leopards' rally with a double to left field. After Amy Magos reached base on a walk, freshman Diane Mitchell hit her first double of the season, allowing Shainheit to cross the plate for a tied 3-3 game.
Bucknell's Lauren Box took to the mound to relieve Brandi Porter, who set a Bucknell record for 17 strikeouts in a single game. Lafayette's Becky Foley reached base on a walk to load the bases. Sophomore Laura Schrager belted her lone hit of the game, a game-winning RBI single to right field, to score Magos and give Lafayette the 4-3 victory.
Freshman pitcher Jackie Fitzgerald threw six innings for the Leopards, striking out six batters. Reliever Amy Magos earned the win and the save, pitching 4.2 innings, fanning three batters and allowing just one hit.
In game two, Lafayette scored a run in the second and third inning including Wise's second home run of the year for a 2-0 lead. Bucknell rallied to score eight runs in the next three innings for an 8-3 lead. Jenna Demetriades hit a two-RBI double to center field followed by Stackhouse's RBI double and Ross' RBI single for Bucknell's four-run rally in the fifth inning. The Bison notched three more runs in the sixth led by Demetriades' second two-RBI double of the day. Demetriades then scored on a Lafayette error for an 8-3 Bison lead.
Lafayette staged a rally in the bottom of the seventh inning when Erin Allison belted a two-RBI single to right field, allowing Shainheit and Mitchell to score. Bucknell held on for the 8-5 win.
Allison led Lafayette on 3-of-4 hitting from the plate with three RBI while Wise was 3-for-4 from the plate with two RBI.
Lafayette (3-20, 2-8) take on the Bison in the second half of its Patriot League match up tomorrow beginning at 12 p.m.
