Bucknell University Athletics
Softball Opens Season with Four Games at Cleveland State Dome Tournament
2/7/2015 1:51:00 AM | Softball
LEWISBURG, Pa. -- Bucknell opens the 2014-15 softball season with four games at the Cleveland State Dome Tournament this weekend. The Bison will play Canisius and Bowling Green on Saturday and Toledo and Robert Morris on Sunday.
Below is a closer look at the upcoming season...
Bison Motivated to Win Patriot League Championship
LEWISBURG, Pa. – A great run in last year's Patriot League Tournament had the Bucknell softball team in the conference championship game for the first time since 2010. The Bison settled for a runner-up finish with a loss to Boston University, and head coach Bonnie Skrenta says that is all the motivation the team needs heading into the upcoming season.
“Being second is motivation for the team because the players continue to tell each other that we have to get better so we can come out on top,” said Skrenta, who is entering her third season as head coach of the Bison. “These players, especially the senior class, couldn't be any more motivated and focused right now. And the junior class has so much respect for those seniors that they talk about wanting to do it now for their teammates.”
The Bison finished 23-26 overall last season, a 12-win improvement from the year before Skrenta took over the program. More importantly, they were 10-8 in the Patriot League, the second straight year they finished the conference schedule with a winning record.
A lot of the team's success came from its potent lineup, which finished in the top three in the conference in nearly every important statistical category. The impressive numbers were bolstered by an outstanding season by current senior Cydnee Sanders, who was third in the nation and first in the Patriot League in batting average (.482).
“We were led by Cydnee with that huge batting average but now she seems to have more of a cast around her, including players like Jacee Almond and Kristen Zahn, who were there last year, but also some younger players that we hope will protect those batters in the lineup. We are an offensive-minded team and my goal is to have nine quality hitters in the lineup,” Skrenta said.
Sanders did more than just hit for average. She was first in the league in total bases (100), runs scored (42) and hits (80), second in on-base percentage (.511) and doubles (15) and third in slugging percentage (.602). She was named NFCA All-Region, First Team All-Patriot League and the conference's Scholar-Athlete of the Year following the season.
Sanders was joined on the team by four returning players. Zahn, junior Cheyanna Young and Almond all made the Second Team as offensive players, while sophomore Lara Bean made it after her first season as a pitcher for the Bison.
Almond, a second baseman, gives Bucknell a unique threat in the leadoff spot. Like many leadoff hitters, she showed her ability to get on base, finishing ninth in the conference with a .400 OBP. What sets her apart from the league's other hitters at the top of the lineup is her power. She was second in the league with seven home runs and fourth with 12 doubles.
Skrenta said the coaches did discuss moving Almond out of the leadoff spot into more of a run-producing role, but plan on keeping her there to start the season.
“We have talked about getting our best hitters up as many times as possible during the game and with her in the leadoff spot that adds up during a long season,” Skrenta said. “One of our goals is to get the leadoff hitter on in four out of the seven innings each game.”
Almond wasn't the only player hitting for power last season. Zahn was fourth in the conference with six home runs and drove in 34 runs.
Bean gave the Bison a much-needed boost with the absence of an injured Amanda Fazio for a large portion of the season, earning her all-conference honors after finishing 7-7 with a 2.86 ERA. She led all pitchers in the conference in opposing batting average, holding hitters to a .198 clip. The two were joined by Cindy Cherness and Dana Nielsen on a staff that finished with a 3.14 ERA, a number Skrenta hopes will drop into the twos this season, and will welcome freshmen Taylor Langtry and Paulina Gutkin to the staff this year.
“Amanda Fazio didn't have the number of wins some thought she might last season because of her injury, but if you look at the wins she did have, they were some of the most important wins we had all season,” Skrenta said.
One of the positions that is still in flux for the Bison is at catcher, where Young returns to compete with sophomore Christina Martinez and freshman Kamille Larrabee. The competition for the position isn't necessarily a reflection of Young's ability, but is based on multiple factors, including Skrenta's hope to have fresh legs behind the plate.
“We saw at the end of the league schedule that one advantage we had was our conditioning. Batters can't get comfortable when they don't know who is catching. The catcher can affect your at-bat so it may be a strategy to use all three,” Skrenta said. “That position is going to have to be a leader for us. We are looking for someone that can help manage the middle of the field . We want a vocal leader and someone that is going to lead by example. They will all get a shot.”
Bucknell, led by three Preseason All-Patriot League selections in Sanders (SS), Fazio (P/OF) and Almond (INF) were picked to finish second in the conference by a vote of the league's coaches and sports information directors. Boston University was predicted to repeat as champions.
The Bison open the season this weekend at the Cleveland State Dome Tournament, where they will play Canisius and Bowling Green on Saturday, and Toledo and Robert Morris on Sunday.
CSU DOME TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
FRIDAY, Feb. 6
Cleveland State vs. Toledo, 1:00 pm
Cleveland State vs. Niagara, 3:30 pm
Toledo vs. Niagara, 6:00 pm
Robert Morris vs. Toledo, 10:30 am
Canisius vs. Bucknell, 1:00 pm
Niagara vs. Robert Morris, 3:30 pm
Niagara vs. Bowling Green, 6:00 pm
Bucknell vs. Bowling Green, 8:30 pm
Toledo vs. Bucknell, 8:00 am
Toledo vs. Canisius, 10:30 am
Bucknell vs. Robert Morris, 1:00 pm
Canisius vs. Bolwing Green, 3:30 pm
Robert Morris vs. Bowling Green, 6:00 pm
