Saturday, April 17
Annapolis, Md.
1 p.m.
Bucknell University
at
Navy
Baseball Set for Pivotal Divisional Series Against Navy This Weekend
4/15/2021 2:15:00 PM | Baseball
LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Bucknell University baseball team is set for a pivotal three-game series against Navy this weekend. The Bison will face the Mids for a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m., before hosting Navy on Sunday for a 2 p.m. start.
Bucknell (6-15, 6-11 PL) at Navy (10-5, 5-5 PL), Saturday, April 17, 1 p.m. (DH)
Bucknell (6-15, 6-11 PL) vs. Navy (10-5, 5-5 PL) Sunday, April 18, 2 p.m. (Single game)
Sunday's game will be broadcast on ESPN+, while Saturday's doubleheader will have live stats available.
About the Bison
Bucknell (6-15, 6-11 PL) at Navy (10-5, 5-5 PL), Saturday, April 17, 1 p.m. (DH)
Bucknell (6-15, 6-11 PL) vs. Navy (10-5, 5-5 PL) Sunday, April 18, 2 p.m. (Single game)
Sunday's game will be broadcast on ESPN+, while Saturday's doubleheader will have live stats available.
About the Bison
- This weekend's series will be important for the Patriot League standings, as Navy is currently second in the Patriot League South Division standings at 5-5. Bucknell is one place behind the Mids at 6-11, and is coming off a big road win at Lehigh on Monday, its second of the season in Bethlehem.
- The win for the Bison away from Depew Field was just their second of the season, although four of those road games were decided by one run.
- Bucknell put together one of its most complete pitching performances of the season in the win over Lehigh, as Chris DiFiore and reliever Anthony Casciola combined for 11 strikeouts to stymie a Mountain Hawk offense that had scored at least six runs in the three games entering Monday's fixture.
- DiFiore was named the Patriot League Pitcher of the Week for his efforts, giving the Bison an award winner in each category this season. DiFiore is the first Bison to earn Patriot League Pitcher of the Week since Jack Grabek earned the honor the week of March 5, 2019. Grabek went seven innings while allowing one hit and striking out eight batters in a win over Niagara.
- DiFiore also managed eight strikeouts in the win over Lehigh, and pitched a career-best seven innings in the victory. The sophomore from Mount Kisco, N.Y. threw 115 pitches, scattering seven hits overall. DiFiore has earned a win in three of his last four outings for the Bison, allowing two runs or less in each of those outings. Additionally, DiFiore has also pitched at least six innings in each of his last four starts.
- DiFiore ranks in a tie for first in the Patriot League with three wins along with Patriot League Preseason Pitcher of the Year Mason Black of Lehigh.
- Casciola provided another quality outing out of the bullpen in relief of DiFiore on Monday, not allowing a Mountain Hawk baserunner while striking out three.
- Casciola, who threw just 3.1 innings in four appearances as a first year, has already made seven appearances for the Orange and Blue this year with 10.1 IP. Casciola has performed well against Lehigh this season. In a defeat to the Mountain Hawks in extra innings on March 14, Casciola threw four innings, a season-best, while allowing just two hits and striking out four.
- Peter Marren continues to put together a solid season for the Bison, where he ranks eighth in the Patriot League in average this season. Marren, who was featured recently in Bucknell's "Wednesday's With" series, has played and started all 21 games this season, and has started 37 consecutive games dating back to 2019. The senior from Darien, Conn. managed three hits in the series finale against Holy Cross, and also had a multi-hit game in the opening game against Lehigh, where he went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored.
- Jacob Terwilliger posted a strong series against the Mountain Hawks over the weekend. In two games, Terwilliger went 5-for-8 from the plate with a triple, two doubles, and two RBIs. Terwilliger now leads the Patriot League in slugging percentage (.607). Joining Terwilliger on the list is Chris Cannizzaro (.533), who ranks sixth. Cannizzaro also ranks sixth in runs scored (16), eighth in hits (22), and second in doubles (6).
- In six appearances for Terwilliger since the last time Bucknell played Navy ten games ago, the sophomore from Allen, Texas is hitting .400 (6-for-15) with two RBIs and three runs scored.
- Eunsang Yu joined the growing list of Bison who have hit a home run this season on Saturday. Yu has already accounted for six extra-base hits in 2021 after managing one through his 14 appearances as a first year, and his 13 RBIs are the highest on the team despite appearing in just 14 of Bucknell's 21 contests to date. Yu's home run marks the fifth different Bison to hit a home run this season along with Henry Novicki, Cannizzaro, Anthony Sherwin, and Kendall Pierson.
- Cannizzaro enjoyed a terrific series the last time the Bison played the Mids, hitting .667 in three games (8-for-12) with four doubles, a home run, and four RBIs. Sherwin also posted a prolific three-game stretch, hitting .375 (3-for-8) with eight RBIs and two home runs.
- Bucknell has managed to score in the first inning in nine games this season, and is 4-5 in those instances. Bucknell continues to do most of its damage in the first inning to date, with the 27 runs scored by the Bison in the first frame 13 more than any other inning this year.
- Navy is 10-5 this season, and will enter the game having won two straight games against Lafayette after dropping the first two games of the series between the two schools.
- The Mids are 8-1 at home this season, with a 5-1 loss to Lehigh on April 3 the only blemish on their home record
- Bucknell dropped a 15-10 decision to Navy the only time the two teams met in Annapolis this season, splitting the first two games in Lewisburg.
- DiFiore pitched six innings in Bucknell's 11-1 win in game two, allowing just one earned run.
- Sherwin provided the support batting in the ninth spot for the Bison in the win, knocking in five RBIs as well as adding a two-out, two-run double to help Bucknell pull away in the fourth inning.
- The Mids lead the league in batting with a .302 average on the season.
- The Bison will face Lehigh once again on April 24-25, playing two games in Bethlehem on Saturday before hosting the Mountain Hawks on Sunday, April 25 for a single game at 1 p.m.
Players Mentioned
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