Softball Opens League Play with Three-Game Home Series Against Lafayette

Setting the Scene
What: Lafayette (1-5, 0-0 PL) at Bucknell (15-5, 0-0 PL)
When: Saturday, March. 25 -- Noon (DH); Sunday, March 26 -- Noon
Where: Becker Field (Lewisburg, Pa.)
Live Stats: BucknellBison.com

About the Bison
• At 15-5 overall, Bucknell is off to its best start since opening 18-5 in 1993. The Bison now open Patriot League play with a three-game series against Lafayette at home.
• Most recently, the Bison split a series with Stetson. After falling 4-3 in the first game of the doubleheader, Bucknell came back with a 5-2 victory to earn the split.
• In the pair of games, shortstop Anna Gimmestad led the Bison charge with four hits and three runs, while second baseman Lauren Hadley contributed four hits and two RBI. It was the sixth multi-RBI game of the season for Hadley.
• Lara Bean allowed just two earned runs over six innings in game one, while Raeanne Geffert earned the victory after allowing two runs and just four baserunners over seven innings in game two.
• Bucknell has the best non-conference record in the conference. Army West Point is second at 17-9.
• Bucknell is out-scoring its opponents 111-74 and out-hitting them 181-114 on the season.
• Six different Bison are hitting above .350, with Hadley and Gimmestad both at or above the .400 mark. Hadley's current 10-game hitting streak is the most by the Bison this season.
• Meghan Kovac leads the offense with three home runs and 23 RBIs, while Gimmestad leads with 12 extra-base hits and 23 runs scored.
• Bucknell's 2.67 ERA ranks first in the Patriot League. Bean and Geffert have combined for 14 of the team's 15 victories, while Lauren Lichtenwalner holds a 2.24 ERA in 11 appearances.
• The Bison have not lost this season when they hold a lead after two innings or later.
• Fast starts have become a common occurrence for Bucknell, which has scored in the first inning in 11 of its 20 games.

Scouting Lafayette
• Having played just six games due to 10 cancellations and postponements, Lafayette enters its first Patriot League action with a 1-5 record on the season.
• Most recently, the Leopards played at the Charleston Challenge, going 0-2 against the College of Charleston and Ohio. Lafayette was outscored 17-1 between the two games.
• The Leopards have not been able to generate much offense, scoring six runs in its six contests. Brooke Hensel leads the team with four hits.

Series History with Lafayette
• Bucknell is 74-40-1 all-time against Lafayette, dating back to 1979.
• The Bison have won 13 of the past 14 meetings, holding the Leopards to just 14 runs scored over that span.
• In last season's series, Carolyn Wan totaled five hits and four RBI, while Gimmestad added four runs, six hits, and four RBI.

Up Next
• Bucknell will stay at home for a three-game series against Colgate on April 1-2.