Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Baseball Travels to Florida for Russ Matt Invitational
3/8/2012 7:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 8, 2012
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell baseball team will travel to Florida to play in the Russ Matt Invitational from March 11 to March 17. The Bison will play in seven games in as many days and will be looking to improve on their best start since the 2004 season, currently standing at 6-3.
The Bison are coming off a 2-1 series win over Niagara over the weekend. The series included a walk-off home run in the first game of the Saturday doubleheader by centerfielder Bob Donato. After dropping the second game, the Bison scored another victory with a 4-3 win in the rubber match. With his efforts in the series, Donato received his second straight Patriot League Player of the Week Award, as he finished the series with a .462 batting average, one home run and RBI, three runs scored, and one double. The double placed Donato in a tie for first for career doubles in Bison history. He is now leading the team in batting average (.463), hits (19), RBIs (15), runs (12), total bases (38) and stolen bases (3) and has accounted for all four Bison home runs.
Bucknell also got a lift from sophomore lefty Dan Weigel, who continues to have a strong campaign. He improved his season record to 3-0 with a near-complete-game victory in the final contests of the series against Niagara. Weigel logged 8.1 innings, allowed three earned runs, and struck out three without issuing a walk in the 4-3 Bison victory. He now owns a 2.38 ERA, has a 14-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and is holding opponents to a .195 batting average.
Other Bison off to impressive starts include senior third baseman David Duffett and second baseman Travis Clark, both of whom have played in every game this season. Duffett is hitting .415 and has 10 runs scored, while Clark is batting .410 and has recorded a hit in every game this season. Duffett and Clark are tied for second on the team with 11 RBIs apiece. Their RBIs and hits have come in bunches as Duffett has six multi-hit games and three multi-RBI outings, while Clark has five multi-hit games and four multi-RBI performances. The team as a whole is hitting .354 with runners in scoring position, .438 with the bases loaded and .343 overall.
This trip will mark the fourth straight season in which the Bison have competed in the Russ Matt Invitational. Bucknell went 4-3 last season and 5-2 on both the 2009 and 2010 trips.
The Bison will face seven different teams at the Russ Matt Invitational, beginning with Georgetown on March 11.
Russ Matt Invitational Schedule
March 11 - Georgetown (8-4) at 10 a.m.
March 12 - North Dakota State (6-5) at 11 a.m.
March 13 - Iowa (3-6) at 5 p.m.
March 14 - Bradley (5-4) at 6 p.m.
March 15 - Eastern Illinois (4-6) at 2 p.m.
March 16 - Nebraska-Omaha (2-10) at 3 p.m.
March 17 - Northwestern (4-6) at 1 p.m.
