LEWISBURG, Pa. – Lafayette opened the Bucknell softball series with a 6-4 victory on Saturday afternoon. Junior Marisa Powell held the Bison to one run over 3.2 innings and rookie Sophia Alvarez-Backus limited them to one hit in the seventh inning for her first career save.  
 
The Leopards managed seven hits on a cold and rainy day and they were timely ones. Freshman Caroline Hall and sophomores Katie Harrington and Regan Dillon all plated runs for the Leopards who evened their conference record at 5-5, the program's high Patriot League win total since 2017.
 
Bucknell struck first in the game, scoring three runs on three hits in the third inning, including an RBI-single by Shea Malone who finished the game with three hits.
 
The hosts' advantage was short-lived because Lafayette banged our five runs on four hits in the top of the fourth inning. Mary Grace O'Neill's second triple of the season set up the first run as Harrington singled her home. Hall knocked in the next two runs with a single to the outfield to knot the score at 3-3. The Leopards weren't done, however, plating two more runs on a pair of Bison errors that followed a pitching change. Lafayette led 5-3.
 
The teams traded runs in the fifth inning. Dillon's infield single allowed Emma Ahlborn to score. The Leopards gave that run back in the bottom half with the Bison scoring on a wild pitch. Powell struck out the final two Bucknell batters in the frame, as Lafayette led 6-4.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Alvarez-Backus came on in relief of Powell to end the game which was started by freshman Makayla Lecky. Savannah Jones took the loss for the Bison, allowing three earned runs on four hits over 3.1 innings.
 
The teams will be back at it on Sunday with a doubleheader beginning at noon.