Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell's Katie McDonald Grabs Patriot League Pitcher of the Week Honor
3/30/2009 8:00:00 AM | Softball
March 30, 2009
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Katie McDonald (York, Pa./West York Area) was named the Patriot League Pitcher of the Week on Monday. The senior earned a 2-0 record in three appearances last week, working her way to a 2.42 ERA and 12 strikeouts in 17.1 innings pitched.
McDonald's wins came in back-to-back games, first in the Bison's home opener to Drexel last Wednesday and again in the team's first Patriot League contest at Holy Cross on Saturday. Against the Dragons, she allowed just three runs on 10 hits through seven innings of work. She also struck out four as Bucknell went on to win, 5-3.
Three days later, McDonald repeated the performance, giving up three runs on seven hits in six innings against the Crusaders. The York, Pa., native struck out six in the game, tying her season high set against Butler on March 8, and walked only one batter. The strong outing allowed Bucknell to take game one of the doubleheader, 11-3.
McDonald came back in the second game of the doubleheader as a reliever, pitching 4.1 innings and shutting out the Crusaders and giving up just two hits during that stretch.
The weekly award marks the first of McDonald's career.
McDonald is 6-2 in her final season in the Orange and Blue. Through 14 appearances and nine starts, she has posted a 4.04 ERA, good for second on the team. With six complete games, she is tied for first on the team, while her 62.1 innings pitched and 37 strikeouts lead all Bison.
In nearly four years at Bucknell, McDonald has worked her way into the record books. She is sixth in career strikeouts with 141, tied for eighth in career wins with 20 and ninth in career appearances with 64.
Bucknell is back in action on Tuesday, March 31 when it takes on the Towson Tigers in Towson, Md. The first game of the doubleheader is slated for 3 p.m. The Bison return to their home field April 4-5 to take on Patriot League foe Lafayette. Saturday's pair of games starts at 1 p.m., while Sunday's action kicks off at noon at the Bucknell Softball Field.
