Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Penn State
Softball Set for Tuesday Road Game at Penn State
3/28/2022 3:58:00 PM | Softball
Setting the Scene
What: Bucknell (4-22, 1-2 PL) at Penn State (18-13, 1-2 Big Ten)
Where: Nittany Lion Softball Park – University Park, Pa.
When: Tuesday, March 29 at 6 p.m.
Watch: B1G+
Live Stats: GoPSUSports.com
About the Bison
• Bucknell, which is fresh off its first conference win over Holy Cross on Sunday, is heading to State College, Pa. to take on Penn State for a mid-week matchup. It's Bucknell's first meeting with Penn State since 2019.
• The Bison are seeking a second consecutive win after defeating Holy Cross 8-0 on Sunday. Bucknell scored all eight of its runs over the first two innings, including seven in the bottom of the first. After that, the defense and rookie pitcher Madison Roukey did their part to collect the team's second shutout of the season. The win snapped an eight-game losing skid.
• Zoie Smith and Elena Horn are both coming off four-hit weekends. Smith went 4-for-7 with a double, an RBI and three walks. Horn went 4-for-9 with a double, an RBI and one walk. Smith is currently second on the roster with a .314 batting average this season, and Horn is third with a .278.
• Leading the Bison with a .321 average at the plate is Nicole Rivait. She has a team-best 25 hits and six doubles this spring.
• Roukey collected the first win of her career against the Crusaders, throwing all five innings and giving up five hits and no runs. It was Roukey's fourth start of the year,
• Still leading the Bison in ERA is Kelly Toomey (4.22). The senior has started 12 games, possesses one shutout and sports a team-high 47 strikeouts. Toomey started the first game against Holy Cross on Saturday and gave up two runs in seven innings pitched. Bucknell allowed just three total runs in the three games this past weekend.
• Head coach Sarah Caffrey will be returning to familiar territory on Tuesday, as she spent five seasons as an assistant coach for the Nittany Lions from 2015 to 2020.
Scouting Penn State
• The Nittany Lions are 18-13 overall and 1-2 in conference play, dropping their last two games to Maryland. They're also 7-2 when playing at home.
• UNC Greensboro is the only common opponent between Bucknell and Penn State so far this season. Both teams took losses against the Spartans.
• Penn State is batting .263 as a team, led by junior Cassie Lindmark (.415). Lindmark boasts a team-high 39 hits. Just behind her is senior Ally Kurland, who's batting .324 with a team-best 13 doubles and 10 home runs.
• The Nittany Lions have a 2.80 ERA, and senior Bailey Parshall leads the charge with 1.35 earned runs allowed in 22 appearances. Parshall is 12-4 on the year with seven shutouts. Fellow senior Kylee Lingenfelter has also started 14 games and is 3-8 with a 4.88 ERA.
Series History with Penn State
• Bucknell is 9-31 all-time against the Nittany Lions, dating back to 1986, but has won three of the last four meetings. The teams split a doubleheader in April 2019, and the Bison won both games of a doubleheader in 2018.
• Then-freshman Nicole Rivait was outstanding in the last meeting between Bucknell and Penn State. Over the two games in 2019, Rivait went 6-for-7 at the plate with four RBIs. All four of her RBIs, however, were recorded in the 9-8 loss.
Up Next
The Bison head to Boston, Mass. to take on the Terriers next weekend. Boston U. is 19-13 overall and 3-0 in league games. The three-game series begins with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 2.
