Bison Set for Five Games at the Liberty Softball Challenge

Setting the Scene
What: Liberty Softball Challenge
When: Feb. 22-24
Where: Liberty Softball Stadium (Lynchburg, Va.)

Bucknell Schedule
Friday, Feb. 22
10 a.m. | vs. Valparaiso (0-5)
2 p.m. | vs. Wright State (2-3)
Saturday, Feb. 23
11 a.m. | vs. Princeton (0-0)
3 p.m. | vs. Delaware State (1-2)
Sunday, Feb. 24
1 p.m. | at Liberty (6-6)

About the Bison
• Bucknell is 1-4 after facing some tough competition in the opening weekend of the season. The Bison posted a win over Tulsa and had a loss to both Iowa and Tulsa and two defeats to nationally-ranked LSU.
• Ava Fairbanks had the top offensive performance for the Bison at LSU's Tiger Classic. She went 3-for-8 with a double, posting an OPS of .875.
• Jess Hom had a solid weekend for Bucknell, going 5-for-13 with two runs scored.
• Lauren Lichtenwalner made two starts in the circle, going 1-1 with a 3.28 ERA. She went the distance in Bucknell's 4-2 win over Tulsa.
• The Bison have only played seven combined games in program history against their upcoming five opponents.

Scouting the Opponents
• Valparaiso is 0-5 with losses to Stephen F. Austin (6-2 score), Middle Tennessee State (4-1), Mississippi State (8-3), Mississippi State (10-0), and Middle Tennessee State (4-2). Jaina Westphal is hitting .400 (4-10) with a double.
• Wright State is 2-4 after a 10-7 win over Louisiana Monroe in its most recent game. Lexie Hilling recorded both wins in relief. She hasn't allowed a run in her 3.2 innings of work.
• Princeton will play for the first time this season. The Tigers went 10-29 overall and 8-13 in the Ivy League last year.
• Delaware State is 1-2 with a win over Norfolk State (4-3) and losses to Robert Morris (7-1) and Liberty (20-0).
• Liberty is 6-6 with three-straight wins over Rutgers (5-3), Wright State (10-2), and Delaware State (20-0). Amber Bishop is hitting .400 (16-40) with three home runs.

Series History with the Opponents
• Bucknell is 1-0 against Valparaiso with a 6-2 win in 2015.
• Wright State and Bucknell will play for the first time.
• The Bison are 0-1 against Princeton with an 11-1 loss in 1998.
• Bucknell and Delaware State are tied 2-2. The teams split a pair of games in 2016.
• Liberty won the only meeting with Bucknell 7-3 in 2002.

Up Next
• The Bison will play Georgetown, Saint Joseph's, Howard (twice), and Brown at the District Classic in Washington, D.C., on March 1-3.

Bison Set for Five Games at the Liberty Softball Challenge

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Players Mentioned

Ava Fairbanks

Jess Hom

Lauren Lichtenwalner

Bucknell University Athletics