Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Softball Opens Home Schedule with Two Doubleheaders this Week
3/18/2008 8:00:00 AM | Softball
March 18, 2008
LEWISBURG, Pa. - After an intense seven-game trip to California over Spring Break, the Bucknell softball team will finally get a chance to play on its own field this week as it opens a six-game homestand with a pair of doubleheaders. The Bison will host perennial Division II power Bloomsburg on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. and will then welcome Coppin State to Lewisburg on Saturday for a pair of games starting at 1 p.m.
Bucknell Softball Notebook (3-15, 0-0 PL)
Bucknell Notes
• Bucknell went 0-7 while in California, including 0-5 at the Loyola Marymount Tournament, but three of those losses came in the seventh inning.
• While in California, Bucknell played the 1,000th game in program history. The Bison have now played 1,005 games and have an overall record of 440-559-6.
• Freshman outfielder Lauren Fry was named the Patriot League Rookie of the Week on Monday. It marked the first Patriot League weekly honor for the Bison since last February. She hit a team-best .471 while the squad was in California. She ended the trip with three consecutive multiple-hit games and was an impressive 5-for-7 in a doubleheader against the University of San Diego. The left-hander is hitting .281 this season to lead the team and brings a four-game hitting streak into Wednesday's doubleheader with Bloomsburg.
• Senior Erin Curatola had a five-game hitting streak snapped with an 0-for-3 performance in the second game of Sunday's doubleheader at San Diego. She is third on the team with a .269 batting average, while her 14 hits are four more than anyone else on the squad.
• While her record is just 2-8, senior pitcher Christie Wiest is in the midst of one of the best seasons of her career. She owns a career-best 2.15 ERA and is allowing just over one hit per inning. Opponents are hitting .268 against her and she has 25 strikeouts. Additionally, Wiest has been very durable, completing nine of her 10 starts. She is averaging nearly six innings per appearance.
• Bucknell has posted a team ERA of 3.24 this year, its lowest since a 2.24 mark in 2001.
Bucknell vs. Upcoming Opponents
• Bucknell is 1-14 all-time against Bloomsburg, which is located less than 30 miles from Lewisburg. The two teams met last year with the Huskies posting a 2-0 victory. It was the first meeting between the teams since 1992.
• Bloomsburg, which is the lone Division II team to participate in every NCAA Tournament since 1983, is 12-2 this year. The Huskies will enter the doubleheader on a four-game winning streak. They are hitting .310 this year, with two players checking in with .462 batting averages. Bloomsburg has a strong three-person pitching staff with a combined 1.07 ERA. The staff has totaled four shutouts this year.
• Bucknell and Coppin State have never met in softball. The Eagles are the 10th first-time opponent for Bucknell this season.
• Coppin State is 0-8 this year and has given up at least nine runs in each of its games. The Eagles have a team batting average of .171 and a team ERA of 11.73.
2008 Bucknell Weekly Honors
• Patriot League Rookie of the Week:
- Lauren Fry (3/17)
Up Next
• Bucknell will wrap up its six-game homestand Tuesday against another regional foe in Penn State. The Bison upset the Nittany Lions 8-7 in the second game of a doubleheader split last year, just their second win in the last 16 meetings with the Big Ten foe. Bucknell is also slated to play a mid-week road doubleheader at UMBC that was rescheduled from the last weekend in February.
Bucknell's Schedule this Week
Wednesday, March 19
Bucknell vs. Bloomsburg (DH), 3:30 p.m. (Bucknell Softball Field)
Saturday, March 22
Bucknell vs. Coppin State (DH), 1 p.m. (Bucknell Softball Field)
