Bucknell Baseball Opens Season at Mount St. Mary's, Hosts La Salle Saturday

LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell University baseball team will look to get its season off on a good note in its first action of 2021 when it faces Mount Saint Mary's on Thursday afternoon, before hosting La Salle for two games on Saturday beginning at noon.

NOTICE: Because Bucknell University's campus is closed to the public, no spectators will be permitted at home events until further notice.

The Bison will play their first contest since a 5-3 win over Central Michigan on March 11, 2020. Bucknell will then make its home debut two days later in the friendly confines of Depew Field for the first time in almost two years when it hosts La Salle for two games on Saturday beginning at 12 p.m.
Bucknell last faced Mount St. Mary's on April 23, 2019 in a 16-7 defeat, with the Bison holding a 26-16 edge in the all-time series.
Bucknell is 4-4 all-time against La Salle, with the two teams also meeting in 2019 one day after the Mount St. Mary's game, a 9-7 win for the Bison.
Peter Marren and Andrew Funovits each made an appearance for the Bison in the win over the Explorers, with the former recording a hit and an RBI to put Bucknell up 7-5 in the seventh.
Funovits earned his first career win for the Bison against the Explorers after pitching two innings while allowing two hits. Caleb Broughton also made an appearance for the Bison against the Mount, as he picked up a hit in Bucknell's game in Emmitsburg one day earlier.
Head Coach Scott Heather enters the season needing five wins to reach 150 for his career.
The Mount will be looking for its first victory of the season after a four-game sweep at the hands of Richmond. Three of the four games were decided by two runs or less.
La Salle enters the weekend at 2-3 overall after a 10-6 win over Delaware State on Tuesday.
The Bison were picked to finish in a tie for fifth in the Patriot League Preseason Poll. Outfielder Chris Cannizzaro was named to the Patriot League Preseason All-League Team in voting by coaches and sports information directors around the league.
Thursday's game in Emmitsburg will be streamed on NEC Front Row, while Saturday's La Salle doubleheader will be streamed live on ESPN+

Season Preview:

After having its season cut short the day before Patriot League play, the Bucknell University baseball team is ready to get back to action amidst uncertain circumstances, said Head Coach Scott Heather.

"We're excited to play," said Heather. "The guys have worked really hard and have stayed committed, and they are ready to roll."

The contest will be Bucknell's first since a 5-3 win over Central Michigan on March 11, 2020. The Bison have not played a home game since April 28, 2019.

"Our guys aren't taking anything for granted," said Heather. "The atmosphere around the team has been great when we've been able to practice, and we're really excited to see a schedule, and play against somebody else."

The Bison played a challenging schedule to start the 2020 season, and Heather noted that wins over both Virginia and Central Michigan last season helped his young team gain confidence that will help in 2021.

"As a young group, playing those types of teams has the potential to have the guys lose confidence," said Heather. "However, as competitive as were, it's something we will look to build off of. We're still quite a young team, but we're excited about our young talent, as well as the leadership of our more experienced players."

Peter Marren figures to be one of those leaders for the Bison. The senior from Darien, Connecticut developed into an everyday starter for the Bison in 2020, starting all 16 games primarily at first base. Marren tallied two three-hit games against Virginia and NJIT, and drove in seven runs last year.

"Pete's stepped up in that leadership role for us," said Heather. "He was a great leader even as a junior last season, and really supported the veteran guys. Our entire senior class has done a tremendous job of showing the way for the younger guys, and fostering a great atmosphere. I think the guys really value the opportunities we get day-to-day more now, and that's been the overall feeling of the team right now."

Fellow seniors Caleb Broughton, Nicholas Sadd, Brenden Tuttle, and Matt Ottsen all bring valuable experience back for the Bison in their final year. Both Sadd and Tuttle have been involved with the starting rotation the past few seasons, and have each logged over 45 innings for the Bison in their careers. Tuttle pitched five innings while allowing four hits and striking out seven for the Bison against Villanova last season, and will look to continue to be involved with the Bison rotation going forward.

Ottsen made a career-high six appearances out of the bullpen for Bucknell last season, and played a huge part in Bucknell's win over Virginia with five strikeouts over two innings against the Cavaliers. Ottsen also picked up his first career save against Central Michigan in Bucknell's final game of 2020.

Bucknell will benefit from Broughton's return to the infield, Heather noted. The Lebanon, New Hampshire native was Bucknell's primary starter at second base in 2019, and picked up 31 hits and scored 23 runs in 38 appearances for the Bison that season. Broughton missed last season with an injury, but is expected to be back and ready to go for the spring.

"Caleb is going to be a catalyst at the top of the lineup for us," said Heather. "He was able to play in the fall, and has been building up his arm strength. He's one of our best hitters, he runs the bases well, and he's a veteran that we'll lean on in the middle infield."

Below is a position-by position preview of the 2021 Bucknell baseball team.

Catcher

After the graduation of Alex Baumann, sophomore Jake Wortman returns as the most experienced member of the catchers. Wortman enjoyed an excellent rookie campaign for Bucknell, which culminated in Bucknell's 14-10 win over Virginia last season. Wortman had three hits, five RBIs, and his first career home run in earning Patriot League Rookie of the Week honors. Wortman started eight games for the Bison behind the plate, hitting .333 with nine RBIs overall.

Another catcher, Logan Kellerman, joins the fold for the Bison as a transfer from Furman. Kellerman appeared in 11 games last year with five starts for the Paladins, and registered a hit with two walks in Furman's 11-10 win over Ohio State last season.

First year Nic Adamo and sophomore Nick Christopher also figure to be in the mix at catcher, with the latter making three appearances and a solitary start for the Bison as a first year. Heather also noted that versatile first year Ben Sinins could spend time at catcher.

First Base

Heather noted that the Bison will have a lot of options this season, and added that the Bison can move players around to give his team the best matchups possible

"Henry Novicki had a solid fall," Heather said. "From the left-handed side, he swings a good bat and continues to get stronger. As he gets stronger, I think he will push to the front of the league as a good offensive player for us for the future."

Heather added that Marren and Eunsang Yu could also play at first base. Marren spent the majority of last season at that position, while Yu was primarily at third base. Yu started 13 games for Bucknell last season, including the opening day matchup against Penn State in Cary, North Carolina. The native of Seattle hit the game-tying single in that game in the sixth inning, and showed promise at the plate in his first season in the Orange and Blue.

"Eunsang had an injury over the summer, and has been rehabbing all fall from that, he's still working his way back, but we'll be excited for his return. Peter and Eunsang are our corner infield guys going forward."

Middle Infield

The return of Broughton, who has played both second and shortstop, gives the Bison an experienced option in the middle after the graduation of Evan Madigan last spring. Heather also noted that Anthony Sherwin has impressed in the fall, and could look to work his way into the mix.

"Anthony Sherwin is a defensive shortstop that can handle all of the plays," Heather said. "He swings from the left side, which gives us some versatility there. First years Jacob Corson and Grant Voytovich have both played in the middle infield for the Bison during the fall, and both swing the bat very well for us. We could see them in middle infield, we could see them in the outfield. We would like to find as many ways as we can to get those guys playing on a consistent basis. Will Potdevin also provides depth for us, and has developed into a solid defensive player for our squad."

Brendan Lowery also returns for year three in the Orange and Blue. Lowery, who started 14 games for the Bison at second base last season, is one of Bucknell's most experienced options at that position. The Randolph, New Jersey native hit three doubles last year, and tied his career best with two RBIs against NJIT. The junior also provided a solid defensive presence at second for the Bison in 2020, committing just two errors.

Outfield

Bucknell's lone All-Patriot League preseason pick, junior Chris Cannizzaro, returns for his third season in the Orange and Blue after his stellar 2020 campaign was cut short. The native of Staten Island was leading the Patriot League in RBIs (17) at the time the season abruptly ended.
Cannizzaro also ranked third in hits (19), and was fifth in average (.328). The impressive run by the rising junior earned him recognition from the league, despite not logging a full season yet for the Orange and Blue.

"Chris is a good defender, he runs well, and he can make plays out there," said Heather. "He's been a starter from day one for us. He's been through a lot in his first two seasons, and he's emerged as a great leader for our program. He's done a great job of putting quality at-bats together, and he's really improved his approach at the plate. We expect him to produce some runs for us in the middle of the lineup for us this season."

Two more returners, both sophomores, will also look to make a bigger impression in year two for the Bison. Kyle Lyons and Jacob Terwilliger are two players that Heather said bring speed and good arms in the outfield, and added that they can cover a lot of ground. Lyons made ten starts for Bucknell last season, and tallied three hits in Bucknell's win over Virginia. The sophomore from West Chester, Pennsylvania spent the majority of his time at center field last season, and ended the year on a three-game hitting streak. Terwilliger made limited appearances in his first year as a Bison, but will look to increase his role with a year of experience.

"Jacob is one of our best athletes overall," said Heather. He was a two-sport athlete in high school, he had a great fall, and he is looking to push to get more opportunities for us."

The addition of Mason Kelly, another transfer from Furman, provides another option for a deep outfield corps. Kelly made three appearances for the Paladins last season, notching a hit and an RBI in his first career start against Northern Kentucky, where he started at right field. Heather noted that Kelly is a good athlete at the plate, hits the ball with authority, and had a nice fall.

"Simon Turner and Kendall Pierson provide something different for us," said Heather. "They can bring a power presence to the plate, and can hit for extra bases."

Pierson made five starts for the Bison in his second year, driving in a run against Virginia and NJIT, and will look to contribute even more at the plate in 2021.

"It's going to be a challenge to get everybody involved, but we plan to play a lot of guys," said Heather. "They have worked hard, and with the way the schedule is set up with home and away travel, having that depth is nice to make the workload manageable and keeping guys sharp. They have done a great job of continuing to work even with uncertain circumstances, and they are still finding ways to get better all of the time. We're going to do the best we can with the condensed non conference schedule.

Pitching Staff

"I feel we also have a deep pitching staff," said Heather. "I'm really proud of how this group has handled everything that's happened. They have found ways on their own to get better, and they have really embraced that."

Brenden Tuttle and Will Greer return as Bucknell's most experienced pitchers from last season, logging 14.1 and 12.1 innings played, respectively. Greer elevated his game as the season went on, culminating in a five-inning, seven strikeout performance over a Central Michigan team that had scored 22 runs just a few days prior. Tuttle, one of Bucknell's top relievers in his first few seasons, will look to improve even further after gaining valuable starting experience as a junior.

"Brenden has taken a huge step forward for us," said Heather. "He really hasn't been healthy, but has found a way to strengthen some things he's needed to. He's really honed in on his command in the fall, and has improved on his consistency in the zone with his fastball and his breaking ball."

Heather noted that Greer, Chris Difiore, and Tyler Rigot also emerged during the fall. Rigot earned some time as Bucknell's No. 4 starter last season, and logged 12.0 innings overall. Rigot started the opening weekend against NJIT, logging five strikeouts in his collegiate debut. Heather noted that Greer benefited from being able to pitch in the summer, while adding Rigot has improved his velocity.

"Andrew Funovits is a guy that we have put in big situations, and he has performed well for us. He's really worked to improve his game and add pitches to his arsenal. It's really nice to have a guy with his experience in those big situations."

None of those situations were bigger than Funovits' role in Bucknell's 14-10 win over Virginia. With the Cavaliers threatening to tie the game with the bases loaded, Funovits earned two big strikeouts to give the Bison their first win over the Cavaliers since 1925. Funovits has now earned three saves in his career for the Orange and Blue.

Heather added that senior Sadd is throwing harder than he has in the past, and has added a new wrinkle to his game to give him more options on his off-speed pitches. Sadd is one of Bucknell's most experienced returnees, and has spent time as a midweek starter in the past.

Matt Ottsen is a player that Heather noted is good for getting lefthanders out,and one that Heather said could play a bigger role in 2021. Junior Austin Odell spent 2020 out with an injury, but Heather said he is a player that's back and throwing harder than ever, and that the Bison will benefit from his return.

Renn Lints emerged as a solid option out of the bullpen last year, Heather added. A wide receiver on the football team who joined the Bison baseball team last season, Coach Heather said that the presence of the senior from Norwalk, Connecticut gave the team " a lift", and he is really emerging and looking to get opportunities.

Theo Farynick, a transfer from Richmond, is another option for the Bison. The rising sophomore appeared in seven games as a freshman at Richmond, not allowing a run in four of those appearances. Farynick struck out two batters twice in a relief role last season, and will give Bucknell another option going forward.

Also joining the Bison pitching staff is first year Bryce Reimer, who Heather said has improved his velocity from the fall to the spring. Connor Vucovich is another option out of the bullpen as a left handed option, and first year Graeme Carroll is a low-slot guy that Heather said can give a different look to the opposition. Heather added that Anthony Casciola is out to prove himself, and has grown in his second year in the Orange and Blue.

"Anthony has worked tremendously hard, and he's improved both his velocity and his command in the fall," said Heather. Rounding out the Bison pitchers is junior Luke Allain and first year Nikhil Patel.

"We're excited to see a schedule, and to have games right around the corner," said Heather. "The atmosphere around the team is valuing every day that we have with each other, and we'll be ready to go when the season starts. We're trying to simplify the way we're playing, and to just let them go play. They have done a great job with everything that's happened, and it's time to play baseball."

Bucknell takes on Mount Saint Mary's Thursday in the season opener at 2:30 p.m.

Bucknell Baseball Opens Season at Mount St. Mary's, Hosts La Salle Saturday

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Players Mentioned

Nic Adamo

Luke Allain

Alex Baumann

Caleb Broughton

Chris Cannizzaro

Graeme Carroll

Anthony Casciola

Nick Christopher

Jacob Corson

Chris DiFiore

Theo Farynick

Andrew Funovits

Will Greer

Logan Kellerman

Mason Kelly

Renn Lints

Brendan Lowery

Kyle Lyons

Evan Madigan

Peter Marren

Henry Novicki

Austin Odell

Matt Ottsen

Nikhil Patel

Kendall Pierson

Will Potdevin

Bryce Reimer

Tyler Rigot

Nicholas Sadd

Anthony Sherwin

Ben Sinins

Jacob Terwilliger

Simon Turner

Brenden Tuttle

Grant Voytovich

Connor Vucovich

Jake Wortman

Eunsang Yu

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