Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell-Lehigh Softball Series Moved up One Day
4/12/2007 8:00:00 AM | Softball
April 12, 2007
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Due to an unfavorable weather forecast, this weekend's Bucknell-Lehigh softball series has been moved up one day and will now be played on Friday and Saturday rather than Saturday and Sunday. Friday's doubleheader will begin at 3 p.m., while the first pitch of Saturday's twinbill has been moved to 12 p.m. All four games will be played at Bucknell's Varsity Softball Field at West Fields.
Prior to Saturday's first game, the three seniors on the Bison roster will be honored as part of Senior Day festivities. In between games, Bucknell's 1997 Patriot League Championship team will be recognized 10 years after winning the only championship in program history.
Bucknell, which has seen its schedule plagued by the poor weather in the Northeast this spring, brings a 7-21 record into the weekend, including 1-3 in Patriot League play. Lehigh, the winner of eight consecutive Patriot League regular-season titles, is 20-15-1 this year and sits in second place in the Patriot League standings with a 7-1 mark.
Sophomore Ashley Carlson (Fairless Hills, Pa./Pennsbury) leads Bucknell in hitting this season, and is among the Patriot League leaders, with a .387 batting average. She paces the team in runs scored with 15 and has already eclipsed her freshman-year total of 22 hits as she ranks second on the squad with 29.
Senior Lauren Litts (East Stroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg) has provided much of the power for the Bison offense this season as she leads the team with two home runs and 23 runs batted in. She is the Bison career leader in both categories with 18 career round trippers and 97 runs batted in. She recently broke Lauren Wible's year-old RBI mark with a first-inning double in a win over Drexel.
Junior Christie Wiest (Centre Hall, Pa./Penns Valley) has been Bucknell's most consistent pitcher and leads the staff in nearly every category. She has tallied eight complete games in her 16 starts and owns four victories to go along with a 3.13 ERA. With 83 strikeouts the right-hander is closing in on her career high of 94, which she established last year. She has vaulted up the career strikeout list and currently ranks fourth with 219.
Lehigh, which has won five of its last six games, is led at the plate by the speedy Kate Marvel, who is hitting .368 with a team-high 35 hits. She is one of seven Mountain Hawks with at least 10 runs batted in. Lehigh also has a strong pitching staff that owns a 2.63 ERA. Lisa Sweeney is 11-4 with a 1.75 ERA on the season to lead the way.
Following this weekend's four-game series with Lehigh, the Bison will continue their streak of 12 home contest in a 13-game stretch and host Saint Francis (Pa.) next Thursday, April 19. That doubleheader will commence at 3:30 p.m.
