March 2, 2008

Bucknell vs. Gardner-Webb Box Score (L, 9-1 (5 in.))
Bucknell vs. South Carolina Box Score (L, 8-0 (5 in.))

COLUMBIA, S.C. - One day after splitting a pair of extra-inning games against Gardner-Webb and South Carolina, the Bucknell softball team lost to both squads in five-inning affairs on Sunday during the final day of the South Carolina Gamecock Classic. The Bison fell to Gardner-Webb 9-1 in their opener and then concluded their weekend with an 8-0, no-hit loss to host South Carolina.

The two losses dropped Bucknell, which totaled just two hits in Sunday's two games, to 2-7 this year.

Both of those hits came in the fifth inning against Gardner-Webb, when the Bison plated their lone run of the day. Kristin Frick (West Chester, Pa./Bishop Shanahan) laced a one-out triple to right-center and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Erin Curatola (River Edge, N.J./River Dell). Lauren Trosch (Resiterstown, Md./McDonogh) then skipped a two-out single through the left side, but was stranded when Sam Rollandi (San Carlos, Calif./Notre Dame Belmont) popped out to first to end the game with the Bison trailing by eight runs through five innings.

The Bulldogs' Taryn Beck (4-5) picked up the win as she retired the first 14 hitters she faced, although one of them did reach base thanks to a wild pitch on a third strike.

Christie Wiest (Centre Hall, Pa./Penns Valley) (2-3) started for Bucknell and entered the fifth inning having yielded just three runs, one of which was unearned. However, the first two hitters singled to start the inning and Gardner-Webb (7-10) ended up sending 12 hitters to the plate and scoring six runs. The Bison committed three of their four errors during the frame.

Katie McDonald (York, Pa./West York Area) relieved Wiest and retired the side, but not before allowing four runs, three of which were unearned.

In the South Carolina (11-8) game, the Gamecocks touched Bucknell starter Heather Haskin (Noblesville, Ind./Thomas Scecina) for five runs, all of which were unearned due to a pair of errors, in the first inning and tallied three more off Wiest in the bottom of the fourth and fifth innings. South Carolina totaled 14 hits with five coming off Haskin and nine against Wiest, who pitched the final 3.2 innings.

Kate Pouliot hurled the no-hitter for the Gamecocks as she faced one batter over the minimum. Bucknell's lone baserunner was Ashley Beans (Hanover, Pa./Hanover), who drew a one-out walk in the first inning. Pouliot recorded seven strikeouts as she improved to 3-0 this season.

Four South Carolina players registered two hits in the game, with Cassie Gogreve and Jacqueline Wetherbee each also picking up a pair of RBIs in the victory.

Bucknell, which is slated to play its first 20 games away from home, will travel to Drexel for a doubleheader on Saturday (March 8) and to George Washington (March 9) for a twinbill on Sunday.