March 28, 2008

LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell softball team will usher in its 18th season of Patriot League play when it travels to Lafayette for a four-game series this weekend. The Bison and Leopards will square off with doubleheaders on both Saturday and Sunday. First pitch Saturday is slated for 1 p.m., while Sunday's is 12 p.m. at Metzgar Fields.

Bucknell Softball Notebook (6-18, 0-0 PL)
Bucknell Notes
• Bucknell enters this weekend's four-game series having gone 3-3 in its last six games.

• Bucknell has posted at least seven victories in Patriot League play each of the last four years. However, the Bison have not qualified for the postseason tournament since 2005 after being eliminated the final weekend of the regular season each of the last two years.

• Bucknell is in the midst of an eight-game road trip. Following this weekend's series at Lafayette, the team will conclude the trip at Saint Francis (Pa.) next Thursday. After that, the Bison will have just four more road games this season. Bucknell is 2-9 on the road.

• While Bucknell is hitting .230 as a team, it has a solid .329 on-base percentage thanks to drawing 78 walks. The Bison drew 90 walks all of last year and are just 31 walks shy of breaking into the program's top-five list. Lauren Fry and Ashley Beans are tied for the team lead with 13 walks apiece, while Jessie Snyder is third with 10.

• Christie Wiest has posted a 4-9 record this season, bringing her career win total to 24. She is now fifth on the Bucknell career wins list. Wiest appeared in her Bucknell record 100th career game during Wednesday's doubleheader at UMBC. She has a career-best 2.38 ERA and has 11 complete games in her 13 starts.

• Wiest is on the verge of becoming the third Bison to record 300 career strikeouts. She enters the weekend with 292 in her career. She is just 40 shy of equaling Sharon Nichols' program record of 332.

• Current freshmen Fry and Sam Rollandi hold down the top two spots on the team in batting average this year. Fry is hitting a team-best .283 (13-for-46), while Rollandi is at .282 (11-for-39). Lauren Wible, in 2003, was the last freshman to lead the Bison in hitting for a season.

• Freshman Alison Ford earned a pair of weekly honors this past week for her performance last Saturday against Coppin State. She was named both the Patriot League Player of the Week and ECAC Division I Player of the Week after hitting .800 with six runs batted in against the Eagles.

• Wiest and junior Katie McDonald have logged most of the innings in the circle for Bucknell this year. The duo has combined to pitch 133.1 of a possible 149.1 innings this year. The top two pitchers for the Bison last year totaled 213.2 innings the entire season.

• Sophomore Mary Pavlovich brings a team-high three-game hitting streak into the weekend. Ashley Carlson had a season-high six-game hitting streak snapped in the second game of Wednesday's doubleheader at UMBC.

• Senior Erin Curatola is the lone Bison to play in all 24 games this season. She is one of five Bucknell players to start at least 20 games, earning 23 starting assignments.

Bucknell vs. Lafayette
• Bucknell is 51-27-1 all-time against Lafayette, its most victories over any opponent. The Bison lost three of four to the Leopards last year and are 2-6 against them over the last two seasons.

• Lafayette is 5-10 this year, the second-best record among Patriot League teams. It has won two of its last three games.

• Kerry Griffiin (.375) and Emma Kline (.313) are both hitting better than .300 for the Leopards, who have a .251 team batting average. Senior All-Patriot League player Kristen Ruckno leads Lafayette with two home runs and 11 runs batted in. She now has 23 career home runs.

• Each of Lafayette's three pitchers have ERAs above 3.00, with Kasey Karr's 3.25 leading the way. The Leopards have a team ERA of 3.84.

2008 Bucknell Weekly Honors
• Patriot League Player of the Week:
- Alison Ford (3/24)
• Patriot League Rookie of the Week:
- Lauren Fry (3/17)
• ECAC Player of the Week:
- Alison Ford (3/26)

Up Next
• Bucknell will step out of league play for a doubleheader at Saint Francis (Pa.) next Thursday, April 3. The Bison will conclude the season with 15 of 19 games at home following their matchup with the Red Flash.

Bucknell's Weekend Schedule
Saturday, March 29
Bucknell at Lafayette (DH), 1 p.m.

Sunday, March 30
Bucknell at Lafayette (DH), 12 p.m.