Bucknell Softball Splits Pair of Games at Rebel Spring Games - BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE

Bucknell Softball Splits Pair of Games at Rebel Spring Games

Bison Fell to Mississippi Valley State, 4-3, Defeated Butler, 2-1

Meaghan Halay posted a complete game in the 2-1 win over Butler.

March 13, 2007

Bucknell vs. Mississppi Valley State
Bucknell vs. Butler

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - On Tuesday, the Bucknell softball squad dropped Butler, 2-1 and lost to Mississippi Valley State, 4-3, at the Rebel Spring Games. Meaghan Haley (Henderson, Nev./Green Valley), who is now 1-1, notched her third career complete game against the Bulldogs, surrendering three hits and one earned run. The Bison are now 4-11 on the season.

Bucknell struck first when Lauren Litts (East Stroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg) drove in Mary Pavlovich (Johnston, Pa./Richland) with a double to right field to make the score 1-0, in the first inning. Butler answered back with an RBI single to left field that scored Jenny Jacobs to tie the game at 1-1. In the top of the fifth inning, Monica Grinage (Rankin, Pa./Shady Side Academy) hit a one-out single to right field that drove in Ashley Carlson to clinch the game for the Bison.

Bucknell tallied nine hits, while Butler collected three. Bulldog pitcher Nikki Naffziger went six innings, giving up seven hits, while also collecting seven strikeouts. The Bison left eight batters on base to Butler's six. Bucknell tallied nine hits, while Butler collected three.

Against Mississippi Valley State, the Devilettes jumped on the scoreboard first after Erica Hardin drove in Shaina Mitchell in the first inning. Mississippi Valley State added two more runs in the second inning off a wild pitch and a RBI single to right field. Bucknell recorded its first run of the game in the bottom of the second when Sherry Finkel (Morgantown, W. Va./University) scored off a fielding error. The Devilettes answered back with a run of there own when Aisha Ledet single through the left side of the Bison defense, scoring Mitchell to go up 4-1.

With a runner on second base in the bottom of the fifth, Litts recorded an RBI single to left field, scoring Grinage to cut the Mississippi Valley State lead in half. The Orange and Blue collected another run in the fifth after Lauren Trosch (Reisterstown, Md./McDonough) scored off a Devilettes fielding error to make the score 4-3, but it wasn't enough to complete the comeback.

Christie Wiest (Centre Hall, Pa./Penns Valley) posted her fourth complete game of the season against the Devilettes. She struck out six batters and gave up earned runs. Wiest leads the team in strikeouts with 45 and owns an ERA of 3.57.

Carlson went 4-for-4 with a run and a stolen base on the day. Litts posted four hits and two runs batted in, while Grinage copped four hits and one run batted in.

Bucknell will play Dayton at 3 p.m. and Vermont at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 15, at the Osceola County Softball Complex.