Bucknell University Athletics
Softball Faces Tough Challenge at Penn State on Wednesday
4/12/2016 4:43:00 PM | Softball
Game 1 -- Live Stats | Live Video ($)
Game 2 -- Live Stats | Live Video ($)
LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Bucknell softball team will make the short trip to Penn State on Wednesday for a non-conference doubleheader beginning at 5 p.m. The Bison will look to knock off a Big Ten team just one week after it split its doubleheader with Pittsburgh out of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Bucknell is 21-14 overall after dropping two of three games in a Patriot League home series against Army West Point. The Bison won the opening game in dramatic fashion, with senior Mariah Midyette hitting a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Midyette's big hit was made possible by an outstanding pitching performance by seniors Dana Nielsen and Amanda Fazio, as the duo combined on the team's longest shutout win since beating Lafayette 1-0 in 10 innings in 2008.
Nielsen took a tough no-decision after pitching seven shutout innings. She gave up six hits, didn't walk a batter and struck out three. Fazio earned the win with two hitless innings of relief. She struck out three batters.
Penn State enters Wednesday with a 19-17 overall record and an 8-3 mark in the Big Ten after winning two of three games at Indiana. The Nittany Lions have won four straight games at home, including a three-game sweep over Michigan State.
The Nittany Lions rank second in the Big Ten in hitting with a .326 batting average. Macy Jones is batting .400 and leads the league with 16 doubles while adding seven home runs.
Bucknell trails 6-26 in the all-time series, including losses in both games of last season's doubleheader. The Bison did lead by three runs in the opener before the Nittany Lions hit a walk-off grand slam.
Following the two games at Penn State, Bucknell will turn its attention to a three-game Patriot League series at Boston University. The teams will play a doubleheader at noon on Saturday and one game at noon on Sunday.
