Saturday, March 27
Lewisburg, Pa.
1 p.m.
Bucknell University
vs
Lafayette
Photo by: Alli Meehan
Softball Opens Patriot League Play with Four Games against Lafayette
3/23/2021 1:45:00 PM | Softball
Bucknell was originally scheduled to play a doubleheader at Lafayette on Sunday, March 28, but due to inclement weather the two games have been rescheduled for Monday, March 29.
Setting the Scene, Part I
What:Â Lafayette (0-4) at Bucknell (3-4) (DH)
Where: Lewisburg, Pa. – Becker Field
When: Saturday, March 27 – 1 p.m. / 3:15 p.m.
Live Stats: BucknellBison.com
Fan Policy: Up to four family members per Bucknell student-athlete, as well as Bucknell students, staff and faculty may attend. | BUCKNELL SPECTATOR POLICY
Setting the Scene, Part II
What:Â Bucknell at Lafayette (DH)
Where:Â Easton, Pa.
When: Sunday, March 29 – 2 p.m. / 4 p.m.
Streaming: ESPN+
Live Stats: GoLeopards.com
About the Bison
• Bucknell moved to 3-4 over the weekend after splitting a doubleheader at Delaware. Bucknell won 10-6 over Delaware in the first game, handing the Blue Hens their first loss of the season, then fell 3-2 in the final inning of the second game. Delaware swept fellow Patriot League opponent Lehigh the day before.
• Bucknell returns to Becker Field on Saturday for its first two home games since May 4, 2019. Saturday will also be Bucknell's first time seeing a Patriot League opponent since the tournament game against Lehigh on May 10, 2019. The Bison played all 22 of their non-conference games last season on the road. The team then heads to Lafayette for a road doubleheader to close out the series on Sunday.
• Bucknell went 9-2 in home games in 2019 and finished the season with a 14-3 mark in Patriot League play. Bucknell has had a winning record at home every year since 2016. The Bison finished second in Patriot League standings in both 2018 and 2019.
• Sophomore Chase Knapp went 3-for-3 with four RBIs in Sunday's win over Delaware and now leads the team with eight RBIs this season. She's also one of two Bison with a pair of homers. Knapp has been an honorable mention for Patriot League Player of the Week in each of the last two weeks.
• Joining Knapp with two home runs and batting .409 this spring is rookie Zoie Smith. Smith added two more RBIs to her season total (7) on Sunday and leads the team with nine hits. Smith is also tied for second in the Patriot League with three doubles and has already been recognized with two PL weekly awards through three weeks.
• Junior Sarah Baluch is third on the team in hits (7) and is batting .318 after three multi-hit games to open the season.
• Also notable are a team-high eight runs scored for leadoff hitter Jess Hom, who also has a team-high seven walks through seven games.
• As a team, Bucknell is currently second in the Patriot League with four home runs hit this season. The Bison rank third in runs scored (41), batting average (.289), slugging percentage (.390) and hits (54). Bucknell has played the third-most games of any league team.
• Both Kaiya Burton and Kelly Toomey have started three games in the circle for the Bison and each has one win. Meanwhile, Olivia Marinelli has come in to relieve in five games and possesses a team-best 2.76 ERA. Marinelli picked up her first career win on Sunday after striking out five and earning one run in 2.2 innings.
Scouting the Leopards
• Lafayette was picked last in the Patriot League Preseason Poll after going 1-11 in 2020 and 8-40-1 in 2019.
• Lafayette fell to 0-4 on Sunday with a pair of losses to Drexel. The Leopards also have two losses to Wagner this season. They've allowed double-digit runs in each contest.
• Rookie Kailee Sawai has started two of four games for Lafayette this season and has an 11.81 ERA.
• Leading the Leopards with a .444 batting average in junior Julia Roman. Roman has gone 4-for-9 at the plate this season with a team-high four RBIs. That leads a Leopards group that's batting .214 as a team through four games.
Series History with the Leopards
• Bucknell is 83-40-1 (.675) in the all-time series with Lafayette, dating back to 1979. The Bison have won 15 in a row in the series, dating back to the start of the 2015 season.
• Bucknell and Lafayette last faced off in April of 2019 when the Bison swept the three-game series at home. The Bison won those three games by a combined score of 19-1, ending two of them in five innings.
• Taylor Wolfgang totaled three RBIs on four hits in the 2019 series, while Hom and Baluch each recorded two RBIs.
Up Next
• Bucknell hits the road for four games at Holy Cross on Saturday, March 3 and Sunday, March 4.
Â
Setting the Scene, Part I
What:Â Lafayette (0-4) at Bucknell (3-4) (DH)
Where: Lewisburg, Pa. – Becker Field
When: Saturday, March 27 – 1 p.m. / 3:15 p.m.
Live Stats: BucknellBison.com
Fan Policy: Up to four family members per Bucknell student-athlete, as well as Bucknell students, staff and faculty may attend. | BUCKNELL SPECTATOR POLICY
Setting the Scene, Part II
What:Â Bucknell at Lafayette (DH)
Where:Â Easton, Pa.
When: Sunday, March 29 – 2 p.m. / 4 p.m.
Streaming: ESPN+
Live Stats: GoLeopards.com
About the Bison
• Bucknell moved to 3-4 over the weekend after splitting a doubleheader at Delaware. Bucknell won 10-6 over Delaware in the first game, handing the Blue Hens their first loss of the season, then fell 3-2 in the final inning of the second game. Delaware swept fellow Patriot League opponent Lehigh the day before.
• Bucknell returns to Becker Field on Saturday for its first two home games since May 4, 2019. Saturday will also be Bucknell's first time seeing a Patriot League opponent since the tournament game against Lehigh on May 10, 2019. The Bison played all 22 of their non-conference games last season on the road. The team then heads to Lafayette for a road doubleheader to close out the series on Sunday.
• Bucknell went 9-2 in home games in 2019 and finished the season with a 14-3 mark in Patriot League play. Bucknell has had a winning record at home every year since 2016. The Bison finished second in Patriot League standings in both 2018 and 2019.
• Sophomore Chase Knapp went 3-for-3 with four RBIs in Sunday's win over Delaware and now leads the team with eight RBIs this season. She's also one of two Bison with a pair of homers. Knapp has been an honorable mention for Patriot League Player of the Week in each of the last two weeks.
• Joining Knapp with two home runs and batting .409 this spring is rookie Zoie Smith. Smith added two more RBIs to her season total (7) on Sunday and leads the team with nine hits. Smith is also tied for second in the Patriot League with three doubles and has already been recognized with two PL weekly awards through three weeks.
• Junior Sarah Baluch is third on the team in hits (7) and is batting .318 after three multi-hit games to open the season.
• Also notable are a team-high eight runs scored for leadoff hitter Jess Hom, who also has a team-high seven walks through seven games.
• As a team, Bucknell is currently second in the Patriot League with four home runs hit this season. The Bison rank third in runs scored (41), batting average (.289), slugging percentage (.390) and hits (54). Bucknell has played the third-most games of any league team.
• Both Kaiya Burton and Kelly Toomey have started three games in the circle for the Bison and each has one win. Meanwhile, Olivia Marinelli has come in to relieve in five games and possesses a team-best 2.76 ERA. Marinelli picked up her first career win on Sunday after striking out five and earning one run in 2.2 innings.
Scouting the Leopards
• Lafayette was picked last in the Patriot League Preseason Poll after going 1-11 in 2020 and 8-40-1 in 2019.
• Lafayette fell to 0-4 on Sunday with a pair of losses to Drexel. The Leopards also have two losses to Wagner this season. They've allowed double-digit runs in each contest.
• Rookie Kailee Sawai has started two of four games for Lafayette this season and has an 11.81 ERA.
• Leading the Leopards with a .444 batting average in junior Julia Roman. Roman has gone 4-for-9 at the plate this season with a team-high four RBIs. That leads a Leopards group that's batting .214 as a team through four games.
Series History with the Leopards
• Bucknell is 83-40-1 (.675) in the all-time series with Lafayette, dating back to 1979. The Bison have won 15 in a row in the series, dating back to the start of the 2015 season.
• Bucknell and Lafayette last faced off in April of 2019 when the Bison swept the three-game series at home. The Bison won those three games by a combined score of 19-1, ending two of them in five innings.
• Taylor Wolfgang totaled three RBIs on four hits in the 2019 series, while Hom and Baluch each recorded two RBIs.
Up Next
• Bucknell hits the road for four games at Holy Cross on Saturday, March 3 and Sunday, March 4.
Â
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
C/UT
/ Softball
P/UTL
/ Softball
C
/ SoftballIn The Herd: Season Opener And Shane Wynn And Kyla Kelly Features
Wednesday, October 15
2025 Bucknell Athletics Hall of Fame Inductee Bob Rhein
Monday, October 13
2025 Bucknell Athletics Hall of Fame
Sunday, October 12
Bucknell Men's Water Polo Vs. Mount St. Mary's (10/11/25)
Sunday, October 12