March 26, 2010
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell softball will try to improve its series record to 5-0 over Coppin State this weekend when it travels to Baltimore, Md., for a three-game tilt. The Bison (5-6) will face the Eagles for a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday, followed by a single game at 12 p.m. on Sunday.
ABOUT THE BISON
Bucknell finished its trip to California with a 3-4 record with wins over North Dakota and Harvard. The Bison opened the week with a 7-6 victory over Harvard leading up to Loyola Marymount's Crowne Plaza LAX Showcase where they took 704 and 9-1 (5 inn.) decisions over the Fighting Sioux. Bucknell also battled through two tight games with Utah Valley but came up empty both times. The Bison fell 7-6 in eight innings in the first meeting with the Wolverines and 13-10 two days later.
Lauren Fry (Plainfield, N.J./Plainfield) had quite the week in California and was recognized on Monday by the Patriot League for that success. The junior was named the league's Player of the Week after hitting .524 (11-21) with three extra-base hits and a team-leading nine runs and nine RBI in seven games. Fry also scored the game-winning run in the Bison's victory over Harvard and recorded the hit that sent the contest with Utah Valley into extra innings. It was the first Player of the Week honor for the centerfielder.
Bucknell has five home runs as a team so far this spring, and each shot has been hit by a different player. The latest Bison to strike were Fry, Alyssa Okita (Davis, Calif./Davis) and Elyse Colmenero (Fresno, Calif./Central) last week. Sherry Finkel (Morgantown, W. Va./University) and Mary Pavlovich (Johnstown, Pa./Richland) left their power-hitting marks in the season's opening weekend.
Shelly McCormack (Humble, Texas/Kingwood) has been making the most of her increased playing time this season. The senior entered the year with three career RBI but has plated eight teammates in 10 games in 2010. She is also hitting .500 (10-20), which improves her career batting average from .179 prior to the season to .253.
Several Bison are nursing hitting streaks. Fry leads with a career-best nine game stretch, and has a hit in 10 of the team's first 11 contests. Alison Ford (Suisun City, Calif./Fairfield) and McCormack each have four-game hitting streaks. Fry also has at least one RBI in each of her last five games.
Bucknell is still looking for its first set of back-to-back wins. The Bison also struggled to string together victories last season, earning just a pair of three-game winning streaks. The first came in February against Saint Joseph's and North Carolina Central, while the second winning stretch came in the regular-season finale at Army.
Although it is still early in the season, Bucknell ranks among the top three in the Patriot League in 14 different categories ranging from batting average and slugging percentage to fielding double plays and stolen bases against. The Bison are tops in the league in batting, posting a .322 team average. Bucknell also has individuals ranking in the top 10 in 17 different categories led by Fry who is the top-ranked league player in batting average (.455) and on-base percentage (.561).
ABOUT THE EAGLES
Coppin State has started its season with an 11-8 record, including four wins over Maryland Eastern Shore. The Eagles' most recent series ended in a two-game sweep at the hands of Mount St. Mary's as they fell by scores of 6-3 and 3-1 on Thursday.
Paige Arnold has been making quite a splash for Coppin State. The sophomore leads the team in several categories with a .351 batting average (20-57) and five home runs. Her 19 RBI is more than twice as many as her next closest teammate. Arnold is also 10-4 in the pitchers' circle with a 1.17 ERA and 12 complete games in 13 starts. Opponents are batting just .181 against her in 15 total appearances.
The Eagles have struggled in recent years and it showed in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference's preseason poll. Coppin State was picked last in the MEAC Northern Division in February.
Bucknell is 2-0 against Coppin State with both those wins coming in 2008. Those wins came in impressive fashion as the Bison won the opener 20-0 and the second game 17-0. Both contests were called after five innings. The 37 total runs is a Bucknell doubleheader record since the Bison joined the Patriot League in 1991.
UP NEXT
Bucknell will play close out its season-opening road stretch with a doubleheader at Drexel on Wednesday, March 31. Action in Philadelphia begins at 3 p.m. The Bison will then host their first opponent of the season in Holy Cross for the Patriot League opener April 3-4 at the Bucknell Varsity Softball Field.
