Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
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LEWISBURG, Pa. – La Salle softball kicked off a busy week with a split of a doubleheader against nonconference opponent Bucknell. The Explorers outlasted the Bison in Game 1, scratching across a run in the eighth to win 1-0. The Bison answered with a 10-2 victory in six innings in Game 2.
 
Game 1: La Salle 1 – Bucknell 0 (8 Innings)

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	R	H	E
La Salle	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	2	2
Bucknell	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	1

Alicia Aughton (W, 7-4) got the call in the opening game of the doubleheader, attempting to get back on the winning track after having her five-game win streak snapped in her last start against Dayton over the weekend. She responded in a big way, twirling eight dominant innings against the Bison for the complete game shutout. The Bison could get nothing going against her, as Aughton continued to pound the strike zone. She allowed two hits and one walk, while she fanned six batters.
 
The Bucknell pitchers were equally impressive, limiting the Explorers to just two hits and five walks in the contest. Lara Bean got the start, allowing one hit and four walks, while striking out four, in five innings of work. Cindy Cherness (L, 2-2) came on in relief, throwing two scoreless frames to push the game into extra innings. She got tabbed with the tough luck loss after allowing the Blue and Gold to push across the game-winning run in the top half of the eighth.
 
The Explorers (11-10; 3-1 A-10) again worked their two-out magic to secure the hard fought victory. Michelle Hagarty (1-4) grounded out and Kendra Heyer (0-3, BB) popped up to begin the frame. Megan Hodgson (0-1, 3BB) then reached on a throwing error, allowing the inning to continue. Linnette Siedler came on to run for Hodgson. Suzanne Swanicke (1-4, 2B, RBI) then came through with another clutch hit, lacing an RBI double to left that scored Siedler for the game's lone run.
 
Aughton worked around a one-out single, forcing an around-the-horn double-play to end the pitchers duel. The fantastic outing lowered her earned run average to a phenomenal 2.03 for the season.
 
Game 2: Bucknell 10 – La Salle 2 (6 Innings)

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
La Salle	0	0	0	1	1	0	-	2	4	1
Bucknell	0	1	3	0	3	3	-	10	14	1

The Bucknell bats came alive in the nightcap of the doubleheader. The Bison racked up 14 hits and scored ten runs, blasting the Explorers 10-2 in six innings.
 
Mary Cate Scott (L, 4-6) got the start for the Explorers, but struggled to hold down Bison offense. She allowed eight hits and four runs, while whiffing just one, in 2.2 innings of work.
 
Bucknell (12-15) got on the board early in the nightcap. They plated one run in the second inning and three more in the third on RBI singles by Christina Martinez, Cheyanna Young, and Tori Robinson respectively. Scott was lifted in favor of Val Buehler with two-outs in the third after surrendering the 4-0 cushion.
The Explorers clawed their way back into the contest, scratching across runs in the top of the fourth and fifth innings. Kristin Travers (1-2, RBI) knocked in Alyssa Sims (0-1, R) with an RBI single in the fourth. Linnette Siedler (1-1, 3B, RBI) drove home Alyssa Bitsimis (1-2, R) with an RBI triple in the fifth to cut the deficit to 4-2.
 
After getting through 1.1 scoreless innings, the Bison got to Buehler in the home half of the fifth. Bucknell pushed three runs across in the inning on a double by Mariah Midyette that drove home a pair and an RBI groundout by Tori Robinson.
 
They added three more runs in the bottom of the sixth to force the early victory. Kristen Zahn ended the game with a two-run walkoff homer to make the score 10-2.
 
The Explorers return home for a doubleheader on Thursday against Delaware. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 PM at West Campus Field.