Bucknell University Athletics
PL Tournament Seeding on the Line as Baseball Hosts Navy This Weekend
4/29/2016 10:00:00 AM | Baseball
LEWISBURG, Pa. – The final weekend of the regular season is here for the Bucknell baseball team as it hosts first-place Navy this weekend. The Bison and Mids will square off in doubleheaders both Saturday and Sunday at Depew Field. First pitch both days is scheduled for noon.
Bucknell's eight seniors will be recognized during Senior Day ceremonies prior to Saturday's first game. Sunday is Gene Depew Day as the Bison baseball program will recognize the contributions of longtime head coach Gene Depew, who passed away in November. Souvenir Gene Depew Day cups will be available for the first 100 fans in attendance that purchase a drink at the Bucknell Dining concession stand.
Also scheduled to take place on Saturday is the Bison Fun Zone, which will feature inflatables, free pizza (while supplies last) and face painting. The Bison Fun Zone will take place adjacent to Depew Field and softball's Becker Field.
Bucknell (16-29, 7-9 PL) enters the weekend in a tie for third place in the Patriot League standings with Lehigh. Fifth-place Lafayette is one game behind, while sixth-place Army West Point is two games behind. The top four teams qualify for the Patriot League postseason. The Bison have qualified for the tournament six times in the last eight years.
Navy (34-11-1, 12-4 PL) has clinched one of the top two seeds in next month's Patriot League Tournament. The Mids, who are 15-3 in their last 18 games, are battling with Holy Cross (22-23, 11-5 PL) for first place in the final league standings. The Crusaders host Lafayette this weekend, while Lehigh is at Army West Point.
Bucknell is 63-71-1 all-time against Navy, but have won 22 of 37 games against the Mids since 2008 and have lost just one regular-season series against them since 2001. The Bison have won seven in a row against Navy at Depew Field, dating back to 2012.
Brett Smith continues to lead the Bison offense with a .348 batting average. He brings a career-best 22-game hitting streak into the weekend. Joe Ogren, who hits in the lineup one spot behind leadoff hitter Smith, has an 11-game hitting streak. He is hitting .283 with a team-high 33 RBIs.
Danny Rafferty has been on a tear of late for the Bison. The outfielder/pitcher is 7-for-12 (.583) with three home runs, two triples and one double over his last three games. He has scored seven runs and has seven RBIs over that span.
Bucknell enters the weekend with a .258 team batting average and a 5.30 ERA. Navy leads the Patriot League in both hitting (.299) and pitching (2.75).
Probable Starting Pitchers:
Game 1: RHP Andrew Andreychik (4-3, 4.15 ERA, 50 K, 60.2 IP) vs. LHP Luke Gillingham (7-2, 1.46 ERA, 74 K, 68.0 IP)
Game 2: RHP Connor Van Hoose (1-1, 2.11 ERA, 20 K, 21.1 IP) vs. RHP George Coughlin (3-3, 2.58 ERA, 51 K, 52.1 IP)
Game 3: RHP Dan Keller (3-4, 3.43 ERA, 38 K, 57.2 IP) vs. RHP Noah Song (6-2, 2.47 ERA, 39 K, 54.2 IP)
Game 4: TBA vs. RHP Kyle Condry (5-0, 2.94 ERA, 48 K, 49.0 IP)
Bucknell Baseball's 2016 Weekly Awards
Patriot League Player of the Week: Sam Clark (April 18)
Patriot League Pitcher of the Week: Andrew Andreychik (April 25)
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, 2.31), Strikeouts (5th, 174), Games Started (t-5th, 36), Innings Pitched (8th, 229.2), ERA (10th, 3.61)
Mike Castellani: ERA (9th, 3.44)
Max Kra: Appearances (7th, 56)
Jon Mayer: Hit by Pitch (t-6th, 23)
Joe Ogren: Hit by Pitch (1st, 38), Walks (2nd, 79), Games Started (3rd, 183), At Bats (4th, 652), Games Started (4th, 178), Doubles (5th, 43), Games Played (5th, 184), Hits (8th, 199), Sac Flies (t-8th, 8), Runs Scored (t-9th, 125), Total Bases (9th, 289), RBIs (10th, 108)
Danny Rafferty: Saves (8th, 6)
Brett Smith: Triples (t-7th, 11)
