Season Preview: Bucknell Baseball Begins 2022 Season in Charleston for Three Games

Friday, February 18

Charleston, S.C.

12 p.m.

Bucknell University

Ball State

Season Preview: Bucknell Baseball Begins 2022 Season in Charleston for Three Games

2/16/2022 10:43:00 AM | Baseball

LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Bucknell University baseball team is set to open its season this weekend as a part of the Swig & Swine Classic in Charleston, S.C.

The Bison begin the year with a matchup against Ball State on Friday at 11 a.m., before taking on Richmond the next day at noon. Bucknell finishes up the weekend schedule with a tough matchup against Power-5 opposition Iowa on Sunday at 10 a.m.

Game One: Bucknell vs. Ball State - Friday, 11 a.m. Live Stats
Game Two: Bucknell vs. Richmond - Saturday, February 19 - 12 p.m. Live Stats
Game Three: Bucknell vs. Iowa - Sunday, February 20 - 10 a.m. Live Stats

The Bison return to action after a shortened 2021 campaign that featured just 33 games, and just three non-conference games to open the season before beginning Patriot League play.
The Bison will benefit from a full non-conference schedule this spring, with the schedule currently featuring 15 games spanning from February 18 until March 16 before the Patriot League opener in Lewisburg against Navy on March 18.
The Bison will meet the Cardinals for the first time in program history to open the season. Ball State is coming off an impressive season, going 38-18 overall, and 29-11 in conference games to finish second overall in the MAC standings behind Central Michigan.
A more familiar foe awaits in the second game of the weekend, as the Bison will face Richmond, although the last time these two programs met was in the 2013 season. Bucknell is 3-8-1 against the Spiders in the all-time series. Richmond took all three games in a 2013 series between the two schools in Head Coach Scott Heather's first year in charge of the program.
Sunday's finale against the Hawkeyes features Bucknell's first matchup against a Power-5 opponent since the Bison took on Pitt on March 24, 2021. Iowa finished 26-18 last season, falling just short of earning an NCAA Tournament berth. Bucknell is slated to play three other Power-5 schools this year in Duke, Penn State, and Pitt.

Season Preview

The Bucknell University baseball team has its sights set on getting back into the Patriot League Tournament this year after narrowly missing out in the last two seasons, and Head Coach Scott Heater, who eclipsed his 150th win for the program last spring believes his team can do just that. The preparation for league play begins this weekend in Charleston, and Heather believes the quality opposition on hand at the Swig & Swine Classic will benefit his team going forward.

"I think it's a great opportunity to play quality competition," said Heather. "It fits with what we want to do in the pre-Patriot League season. We play Navy at the end of our spring break, and it has been a challenge coming back from Florida with the quick turnaround. It's a little bit of a philosophical change to help our players, and having the opportunity to get further south on two turf fields in Charleston will help us tremendously."

The full slate of non-conference games will be beneficial for the Bison, who managed to play just seven games before jumping right into Patriot League play in 2021.

"We competed, but we didn't really have that preparation to be ready," said Heather. "In Major League Baseball, they have over a month of spring training before they get going, so being able to adhere to our philosophy of testing ourselves early on over the course of these early months will help us to hopefully position ourselves well for conference play."

The Bison earned two preseason accolades from the Patriot League recently, with senior outfielder Chris Cannizzaro and junior pitcher Chris DiFiore earning Preseason Patriot League Player and Pitcher of the Year honors, respectively. While Heather noted that the recognition is nice, he believes that the two don't get too caught up in personal accolades.

"Our senior group has taken the lead on the mentality that we'll do whatever it takes to win, which manifests itself with how guys go about things," said Heather.

That senior group includes Cannizzaro, Logan Kellerman, Luke Allain, Kendall Pierson, Renn Lints, Brendan Lowery, Andrew Funovits, and Brendan Lowery.

The seniors headline what looks to be an experienced Bison lineup of position players as well as a veteran pitching staff going forward.

"In 2021, we had a mixture of young guys and experienced guys on the field,'' said Heather "So having a full year of experience under their belt, as well as the added knowledge of knowing where to be and what to expect on a day-to-day basis are all benefits of a veteran group."

Joining that experienced group will be 10 incoming first-years who will look to contribute early on in their careers for the Orange and Blue. Matt Alexander, Billy Kender, Tyler Dunn, Sean Keys, Tyler O'Neill, Brady Karp, Brady Swenson, Derrick Yuengling, Ben Magovern, and Nick Mulvey all join the Bison for their first collegiate season in 2022.

"The freshman class is a very talented group," said Heather. "You'll see some guys on the mound, in particular, get some looks early on. Swenson is a hard-throwing left-hander who has shown good potential, and will look to challenge for a starting role as well as provide depth in the bullpen. He's as talented of an arm as we have, and we'll look to get him experience this year. Magovern is another lefty who is a strike-thrower who can get three pitches over the plate for strikes. He missed the fall, but he has been working through that and has been really impressive in showing us what he can do."

"O'Neill will also look to have a prominent role for us as well," said Heather. "He has a good demeanor on the mound, and will give us a reliable arm out of the bullpen. Mulvey is another left-hander who has been impressive, and has really made a jump from a velocity standpoint. He has a very good breaking ball, and he will look to challenge for a role in the bullpen as well."

Bucknell returns three pitchers who started over four games in the abbreviated season in DiFiore, Will Greer, and Austin Odell. DiFiore pitched 51.1 innings last season while earning First Team All-Patriot League honors, and Greer led the team with 56 innings pitched, good for a tie for sixth in the Patriot League. Both have proven to be more than capable as starters, and will look to be even better in the 2022 campaign.

DiFiore, who broke into a starting role as a sophomore, ranked third in the Patriot League in ERA (3.51), and finished 5-3 on the season. The five wins were the most by a Bison pitcher since Connor Van Hoose, who was named the Patriot League Pitcher of the Year in 2018, accumulated eight victories.

Greer ranked fourth in the Patriot League in batters struck out looking with 22, and did not allow an earned run in his first 12 innings to open the 2021 season. One of Greer's best outings in 2021 came in a win over Lehigh, in which the native of Roxbury, Massachusetts threw a nine-inning complete game while allowing just three hits against Lehigh on April 24. The junior also went at least five innings in seven of his 10 appearances.

Odell, a senior who has battled injuries in his career, came on strong at the end of 2021, pitching at least four innings in three of his last five outings. The native of Chester Springs, Pennsylvania fanned a career-best seven batters against Lehigh on April 10, and had arguably his best outing of his career against Lafayette on May 8 to close the season, pitching five innings while allowing just three hits and striking out three.

Several other veterans of the pitching staff return to the fold for the Bison in 2022, including Andrew Funovits. Funovits pitched 13.1 innings overall as a junior, and has pitched in some big occasions for Bucknell over his career, including managing the final two outs on strikeouts in Bucknell's win over Virginia in 2020. The native of Pittsburgh recorded his first career start last season in his hometown against Pitt, and picked up two saves overall.

Fellow senior Renn Lints also returns after having completed his career on the gridiron for the Bison football team. Lints made three appearances out of the bullpen in 2021, not allowing an earned run and striking out two in three innings played. Two of those strikeouts came in a solid relief outing at Saint Joseph's in which the native of Norwalk, Connecticut pitched 1.2 innings.

"Renn has benefitted from being able to fully focus on baseball," said Heather. "We've really seen his velocity jump, and we could see him having more opportunities to really show what he can do."

Luke Allain rounds out Bucknell's senior class for the pitching staff. Heather said that Allain has recovered from an injury he sustained during the fall, and his velocity has improved. Allain pitched 3.1 innings last season, recording four strikeouts overall. Two of those innings came against Navy on March 27, where he recorded two strikeouts in the best outing of his career.

Bryce Reimer also returns after having made two starts in 2021. The sophomore threw a season-best 4.1 innings against Holy Cross on April 3 of last season, and will look to take on more of the pitching burden after throwing 13.1 innings overall last year.

"Bryce has really improved his velocity," said Heather. "That's helped all of his secondary pitches as well. He's certainly a guy that's pushing to emerge into a bigger role whether that be starting or in the bullpen."

Reimer is part of a talented nucleus of sophomores in the pitching staff including Graeme Carroll. Carroll was one of Bucknell's most reliable pitchers out of the bullpen last season, appearing in 13 games with an ERA of 4.32. Carroll had a tremendous outing at Holy Cross on April 4, throwing five innings of relief with three strikeouts and allowing just four hits and no runs. Carroll will look to be involved even more in 2022 after logging 25 innings as a first-year.

"Graeme had a great summer," said Heather. "He's going to throw strikes. He throws from a different angle, and he's really improved his slider. I think he can help us finish games much like he did last year in an expanded role. We know what we're getting with him. Teams will put them in play, but oftentimes on the ground with a chance to get outs."

Nikhil Patel and Connor Vucovich also return for the Bison in their second year in the Orange and Blue. Patel is working his way back from an injury, and Heather noted that the native of Allentown has a plus breaking ball. Heather noted that he's looking forward to seeing Patel work his way back into full strength as the season goes on.

Vucovich played sparingly as a first-year, and Heather added that he has been impressive with his breaking ball. The native of Lititz, Pennsylvania pitched 1.2 innings as a freshman, and will look to contribute more with a year of experience. Theo Farynick also is back for the Bison this season.

"Overall, this pitching staff will challenge the strike zone," said Heather. "The majority of our guys will throw strikes and give us an opportunity to play defense behind them. We're going to go with the guys who will give us a chance by throwing consistent strikes."

Around the diamond at catcher, Bucknell boasts an experienced group. Logan Kellerman stepped into the fold as a junior last season, providing a top defensive presence behind the plate while making 21 starts. Kellerman drove in three runs against Lehigh on March 14, and also went 2-for-4 against Saint Josephs' on May 5.

"Logan is one of the better defenders in our league," said Heather. "He's very elite at blocking, and he's also improved offensively. We believe he will give us more consistent, quality at-bats, and we believe you will see him emerge as a part of our offense this season."

Jake Wortman also returns after splitting duties with Kellerman behind the plate. The junior made 14 starts at catcher, and provides another option for the Bison lineup. Heather noted Wortman's improvement at blocking and defensively overall. Wortman managed three hits against Army on March 20 with two doubles, and has also hit a home run in his career which came in Bucknell's win over Virginia in 2020.

Nic Adamo is also back to provide depth for the Bison. Adamo appeared in two games for the Orange and Blue as a first-year, recording a hit in each of his two at-bats, and Heather noted that he could also provide an option at first base or as a designated hitter.

At first, Henry Novicki returns to the fold after earning the majority of playing time at that position last season. Novicki appeared in 33 games with 29 starts, drawing the most walks on the team with 24, which ranked fifth in the Patriot League. Novicki opened the 2021 season with a bang, hitting his second career home run in the opening game at Mount St. Mary's, and hetied for the team lead with three homers in 2021.

"Henry has transitioned to first base well, and he's a great on-base guy for us," said Heather. "He gives us a great defensive option there."

Heather also noted that first-year Tyler Dunn is pushing to get into the mix as another left-handed option.

"Tyler is one of our most consistent guys at putting the ball into play hard," said Heather. "He's got a simple approach, and it's paid off dividends."

At second, Brendan Lowery is the favorite to take on the starting role. Lowery is one of Bucknell's most experienced players at the position, having started 30 games in three years. The native of Randolph, N.J. did not commit an error in 16 appearances last season, and went 2-for-4 with a run scored against Lehigh on April 24, 2021.

Behind Lowery will be two young middle infielders in Alexander and Kender. Heather noted that both could push to see time.

"Matt's a switch-hitting middle infielder who is good defensively and has competitive at-bats. Billy, offensively, does some really good things. He's one of our better right-handed options at giving us quality at-bats and swinging at quality pitches."

Grant Voytovich, who has been working primarily in the outfield, also has experience at second, appearing in 12 games and starting 11 as a first-year. Voytovich earned Patriot League Player of the Week in March, and posted six hits and two RBIs last season.

Derrick Yuengling, who Heather noted has improved tremendously after the fall season, also has the ability to play three positions in the infield, according to Heather.

At shortstop, Anthony Sherwin is the front-runner to pick up where he left off after a solid first season in the Orange and Blue. Sherwin, along with Jacob Corson, was one of only two freshmen to play at least 30 games, and will look to improve offensively in an increased role.

"Sherwin showed his potential as a freshman, in a really difficult position to adjust to," said Heather. "He has shown glimpses of what he can be as a freshman, and he really had a great summer leading off. He embraced that role, and we are excited to see him relax and show what he can do in his second year."

Will Potdevin is also back as a solid defensive option for the Bison as a junior.

Corson will take the reins at third after the graduation of the dependable Peter Marren. Corson played in 31 games for the Bison, making 29 starts last year as a freshman, playing primarily in the outfield in an unfamiliar position.

"Corson provides good athletic ability at third, and he's had a really consistent fall with the bat. I look for him to have a big year this year hitting in the middle of our lineup."

Newcomers Chris Klein, Brady Karp, and Sean Keys will vie for time at third as well. Klein, who attended Poly Prep out of Brooklyn, joins recent Bucknell standouts Cannizzaro and Tyler Wincig as former Blue Devils to make the transition to Bucknell.

Klein, who can also spend time in the outfield, joins the Bison after two years at West Virginia, where he was an Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team selection, and appeared in 12 games overall for the Mountaineers. Klein is working his way back from an injury sustained over the summer, and will look to find his way into the lineup as the season goes on.

Cannizzaro will man left field for the Bison after spending the majority of the time at right in 2021. Cannizzaro was the Patriot League batting champion last spring (.355), and ranked third in total hits (44), first in doubles (12), and tied for first in triples (4).

"Chris has been one of our most consistent hitters throughout the fall, and we believe he is one of the best offensive players in the Patriot League," said Heather. "We'll look to have him hit near the top of our lineup."

In center, Kyle Lyons is a player that Heather praised for his defensive improvement and his ability to cover a lot of ground. Lyons started 17 games last season primarily in center, notching ten hits overall.

Jacob Terwilliger grew into an expanded role as the 2021 season went on, and will look to be even more involved this spring. The Texas native hit .306 overall, good for tenth in the Patriot League, and made 21 starts in the outfield. Terwilliger's on-base percentage of .442 was best on the team, and he also made several appearances as a pitcher. Terwilliger is capable of slotting in both center and right field, as needed.

"Jacob is very versatile for us, and he got on base for us a lot last year," said Heather. "He's one of our spark plugs, and we feed off of his energy. He's a great competitor, and will continue to bring that to the table for us."

Kendall Pierson, who adds another power option to the Bison lineup, is also capable of spending time in the outfield, although the majority of his 22 appearances were at DH. Pierson drove in five runs against Army in his third appearance of the season in 2021, and was third on the team with 18 RBIs overall. Pierson's three home runs last season were tied with Novicki for the most on the team.

Mason Kelly returns as one of Bucknell's best defensive options, making 15 appearances with three starts in 2021.

"We're really happy with how Mason finished the fall, and he's more than capable of adding another right-handed, solid defensive option for us either in the outfield or at third base."

Ben Sinins also returns for his second year as a Bison after making four appearances.

"Overall, this team wants to challenge near the top of the league," said Heather. "The league will be interesting this year. There are some very good returning players for each school. We have great depth, and we'll look to establish roles as the season goes on. "