Lehigh University
Bucknell
Sweeney shutout leads Lehigh to split vs. Bison
4/18/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
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LEWISBURG, Pa. – Senior Lisa Sweeney fired a two-hitter for her third shutout in as many starts, as Lehigh ran its win streak to 13 games with a 2-0 win over Bucknell in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday at Varsity Softball Field. The streak would end there however; as the Bison scored nine times in the first two innings of the night cap, en route to a 9-0 win in five innings. With the split, Lehigh is now 26-15-1 overall, 12-2 in the league, while Bucknell is 14-28 overall, 5-9 in league games.
Sweeney allowed just a third inning bunt single by Mary Pavlovich and a fifth inning single by Cassie Lloyd, on the way to her sixth shutout of the season. The reigning Pitcher of the Week in the Patriot League struck out nine and walked just one as she improved to 16-8.
Freshman Jen Colquhoun drove in both runs for the Brown and White, driving in senior Ali Torborg with an infield single in the fourth inning, and scoring freshman Julie Fernandez with a sixth inning sacrifice fly. Colqhoun and Fernandez each had two hits in game one, as the Mountain Hawks totaled seven as a team.
Katie McDonald took the loss for Bucknell, falling to 7-10 on the season.
Lehigh’s fortunes turned for the worse in game two as Bucknell scored four runs in the first inning and added five more in the second to halt Lehigh’s 13 game winning streak and stop its own seven game skid in the process.
Ashley Beans led off the nightcap with a home run off Lehigh junior Tiffany Curtis, and after two walks, Alison for drilled a three-run home run to right to make it 4-0 Bison.
In the second, Bucknell added two runs on an error by senior Whitney Lowe, and tacked on three more on a bases-clearing double by Elyse Colmenero.
Offensively, the Mountain Hawks mustered just one hit against Jane Messersmith, a fourth inning single by Alex Cueva. Messersmith also walked five and struck out four as she moves to 6-10 with the victory.
Curtis took the loss allowing all nine runs (four earned) on six hits in an inning and two-thirds, while walking four as she falls to 10-5. Sophomore Bri Gaumer chipped in with two and one-third innings of scoreless relief.
After going 1-for-2 in the opener, Sweeney was held hitless in the nightcap, as her hitting streak came to an end at 19 games. The game two loss marked the first time this season Lehigh lost a game via the eight run rule.
Lehigh and Bucknell will wrap-up their four game series with a doubleheader on Sunday. First pitch for game one is set for 12 p.m. from Lewisburg, Pa.
