Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Softball Gears Up for Four-Game Series vs. Lehigh
4/16/2009 8:00:00 AM | Softball
April 16, 2009
- Saturday, April 18
Live Stats - Game 1 / Live Stats - Game 2 - Sunday, April 19
Live Stats - Game 1 / Live Stats - Game 2
Live Audio - SportsJuice.com
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell softball hosts Lehigh this weekend in its final Patriot League series at home. Prior to Saturday's 1 p.m. showdown with the league's top-ranked team, the Bison (13-27, 4-8) will celebrate Senior Day, honoring BucknellBison.com.
Lehigh (25-14-1, 11-1) has a significant lead over the Bison in the all-time series at 61-31. Bucknell was 1-4 against the Mountain Hawks last season, taking a 15-8 win in eight innings during the regular season. Lehigh had the last laugh, however, defeating the Orange and Blue 9-5 in the Patriot League Tournament.
ABOUT THE BISON
- Bucknell dropped its sixth straight after falling 9-1 in six innings and 6-3 to Maryland-Baltimore County on Tuesday. The Bison collected their only two hits in game one during the third inning, a pair of singles from Beans and Jessie Snyder (Tacoma, Wash./Stadium), but Alison Ford's (Suison, Calif./Fairfield) bases-loaded walk drove in the team's lone run. Beans led off game two with a home run. Lauren Fry (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) hit her team-leading eighth double in the first as well. Ford capped off the Orange and Blue's scoring in the seventh with her fifth homer of the year.
- The Bison continue to make program history, entering the top five in three team statistical categories following the series with UMBC. With the home runs from Beans and Ford, the squad has tallied 22 on the season, tying them for first place with the 2008 Bison. They are also in fifth for RBI with 150 and walks with 110.
- A trio of Bison should be happy to return to Patriot League play this weekend. Lloyd, Snyder and Fry each have higher batting averages in league action than in non-league contests. Lloyd leads the group, batting .500 (18-for-36) against league foes and .238 (15-for-63) in other games. Snyder is batting .344 (11-for-32) in the league and .273 (15-for-55) out of it, while Fry's average is .333 (10-for-30) against Patriot League opponents and .288 (15-for-52) against others.
- Ford and Lloyd have each posted nine multiple hit games this season. Fry is close behind with eight multi-hit contests, while Beans has recorded two hits on seven occasions. Ford and Beans also lead the team in multiple RBI games, each player having posted six such contests.
ABOUT THE MOUNTAIN HAWKS
- Lehigh is 25-14-1 overall and 11-1 in the Patriot League coming into the weekend series. The Mountain Hawks' lone league loss came to Colgate, 6-3, in Hamilton, N.Y. That defeat was also their last, as the Mountain Hawks are on a 12-game winning streak. In its last outing, Lehigh swept Lafayette, outscoring the Leopards 16-3 in four games.
- Julie Fernandez leads the Mountain Hawks in batting average at .418 (51-for-122), but it is Lisa Sweeney that makes the team go. Sweeney is hitting .370 (47-for-127) in her senior season and leads the team in runs (33), triples (2) and home runs (7). She also has recorded a squad-best 2.66 ERA and 166 strikeouts on her way to a 15-8 record in the pitcher's circle.
- Lehigh won its 10th regular season Patriot League title and its fourth tournament title in five years in 2008. Sweeney was named both the league's Pitcher of the Year and Player of the Year at season's end.
UP NEXT
The Bison will host Susquehanna in their home finale on Thursday, April 23. First pitch for the doubleheader is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Both contests will be broadcast on local radio at WVBU 90.5 and online at SportsJuice.com. Live stats on GameTracker will also be available at BucknellBison.com.
