Sam Clark Named PL Baseball Player of the Week, Bison Head to Penn State Tuesday

LEWISBURG, Pa. – Bucknell baseball infielder Sam Clark (Trabuco Canyon, Calif./El Toro) was named the Patriot League Baseball Player of the Week on Monday. It is his first career weekly honor from the Patriot League and comes after he hit .333 with four doubles and six RBIs in the Bison's five games last week.

Clark and his teammates are coming off a 2-2 weekend at Lafayette and will return to the diamond on Tuesday with a 6:30 p.m. game at Penn State to conclude an 11-game road stretch. The contest will be the second visit to Medlar Field at Lubrano Park in the last week for the Bison, who lost to the Nittany Lions last Wednesday.

A .450 (18-for-40) hitter during Patriot League play, Clark has a four-game hitting streak, going 6-for-15 over that span. The left-handed hitter has driven in at least one run in three straight games, including a bases-clearing three-run double in the final inning of Sunday's game one against the Leopards that completed a five-run frame and staked the Bison to a 5-3 lead. Bucknell ended up winning by that same score.

Clark, who has seven multi-hit games in his last 13 outings, did not commit an error last week while playing both first and third base. He led the Bison in doubles (4) and RBIs (6) last week.

On the season, Clark is hitting .314 with 11 extra-base hits and 22 RBIs. He has posted career highs in hits (38), doubles (8) and RBIs (22) this year.

Tuesday's game at Penn State will be the final road game of the regular season for Clark and his Bucknell teammates, who will play their final nine games at Depew Field.

The Bison are 16-23 overall and are tied for second place in the league standings with a 7-5 conference mark.

Penn State (22-14, 8-4 Big Ten) has won five games in a row and is 13-2 in its last 15 contests. The Nittany Lions swept a three-game series at Northwestern this past weekend.

Penn State holds a 118-34 edge in the all-time series.

Brett Smith continues to stay hot at the top of the Bucknell lineup as he enters Tuesday's game with a career-best 16-game hitting streak. He is hitting .352 on the season with a team-high 31 runs scored.

Spencer Stokes (.410) joins Clark in hitting over .400 against Patriot League competition.

Bucknell is hitting .262 overall and has a 5.11 team ERA. Penn State is hitting .266 with a 3.14 ERA.

Following Tuesday's contest, the Bison will return home for a four-game home weekend series vs. Holy Cross. Sunday's doubleheader will be broadcast on WVBU 90.5 FM and BucknellBison.com.

Bucknell Baseball's 2016 Weekly Awards
Patriot League Player of the Week: Sam Clark (April 18)
Patriot League Rookie of the Week: Jeff Gottesman (Feb. 22), Jack Grabek (March 28)
Bison Athlete of the Week: Brett Smith (April 4)

Current Bison on Program Career Top-10 Lists
Andrew Andreychik: Shutouts (t-1st, 5), Wins (t-3rd, 17), Fewest Walks/9 in. (6th, 2.32), Strikeouts (6th, 166), Games Started (t-6th, 35), Innings Pitched (9th, 220.2), ERA (t-10th, 3.75)
Mike Castellani: ERA (7th, 3.36)
Max Kra: Appearances (t-10th, 52)
Jon Mayer: Hit by Pitch (t-6th, 23)
Joe Ogren: Hit by Pitch (1st, 37), Walks (2nd, 78), Games Started (5th, 177), Doubles (5th, 42), Games Played (5th, 178), At Bats (5th, 624), Hits (8th, 187), Sac Flies (t-8th, 8), Runs Scored (10th, 122)
Danny Rafferty: Saves (8th, 6)
Brett Smith: Triples (t-7th, 11)