March 9, 2008

Bucknell-George Washington Game 1 Box Score (L, 2-1)
Bucknell-George Washington Game 2 Box Score (W, 10-5)

***Bucknell's Spring Break Schedule is listed in Eastern Time - 2008 Bucknell Softball Schedule***

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Bucknell's 3-4-5 hitters - Mary Pavlovich, Erin Curatola and Jessie Snyder - went a combined 6-for-11 with five runs scored and five runs batted in to help the Bison to a split of a doubleheader with George Washington Sunday afternoon. Behind its middle-of-the-order bats Bucknell posted a 10-5 victory in the nightcap after dropping a low-scoring 2-1 affair earlier in the day.

Bucknell (3-8) scored all 10 of its runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings in the second game. The Bison totaled seven of their 10 hits in that contest in those three innings.

The big blow in the three-run third was a two-RBI double by Lauren Fry, who had a team-high four runs batted in in the game. The other two came on a fielder's choice and a ground out.

The Bison extended their lead out to 8-1 following a five-run fourth frame. Pavlovich, Curatola and Cassie Lloyd each hit doubles in the inning with Lloyd's knocking in a pair of runs. Fry, Elyse Colmenero and Curatola also drove in runs in the frame.

George Washington (4-7) plated two runs in the bottom of the fourth, but Bucknell quickly responded with two more of its own in the fifth. A single up the middle by Curatola scored Ashley Beans, who had drawn a leadoff walk. Fry's grounder to second scored Pavlovich, who had also walked. A one-out single by Jessie Snyder knocked Colonials' starter Ali Pardo from the game.

Carrie Higdon relieved Pardo and the Bison managed just two hits off her in the final 2.2 innings.

Katie McDonald picked up the win for Bucknell, improving to 1-3 this season. She pitched her second career complete game and allowed five runs on nine hits. Just two of George Washington's runs were earned thanks to three Bison errors. McDonald posted seven strikeouts and four walks. She showed the ability to work out of jams as the Colonials had at least two runners on base in five of the seven innings. A total of nine George Washington runners reached third base.

Pardo was touched for eight hits and she walked nine as she dropped to 1-2 this season.

The first game was a much lower scoring affair with Bucknell's lone run coming in the second inning, a frame in which the Bison tallied all three of their hits. Snyder singled to left-center, scoring Ford with two outs. Ford had earlier singled, while Sherry Finkel also recorded a two-out single.

Outside of the second inning the Bison had just three hitters reach base with one coming on a third-strike passed ball and another on an error. Pavlovich also drew a two-out walk in the sixth.

Bucknell's 1-0 lead held up into the third when George Washington scored a pair of runs thanks to two walks by starter Christie Wiest. Amanda Gabriel led off the inning with a walk and Higdon later drew a one-out walk. Both proceeded to score on a two-out single through the left side by Jackie Yaniga. That was all the scoring George Washington would need, but they threatened repeatedly with seven hits and at least two baserunners in every inning.

Wiest (2-4) fired her fifth complete game of the season, but picked up the loss. She scattered seven hits, walked four and struck out two. Gabriel (3-4) got the win for the Colonials, yielded the three hits, one run and one walk to go along with her 10 strikeouts.

Snyder had one of the most productive offensive days for Bucknell, going 3-for-6 with one run scored and one RBI. Her .273 batting average paces the team.

The Bison will now make a Spring Break trip to California this week. They will play five games in the Loyola Marymount Tournament as well as a doubleheader at San Diego.