Softball Hoists the Sails for the Pirate Clash

LEWISBURG, Pa.- Coming off the NSU-Hampton Classic, which witnessed the Bison obtaining a 2-0 victory over the Hampton Pirates, the Bison continue the trend of dueling nautical-themed opponents with a weekend tournament at the Pirate Clash hosted by East Carolina University. Bucknell is 2-6 in the young season and is looking to gather momentum heading into March.

The Starting Lineup
What: The Pirate Clash
Where: Max R. Joyner Family Stadium (Greenville, N.C.)
When: Feb. 23-25

Bucknell Schedule (All Times EST)

Thursday, Feb. 23
4:00 p.m. | at East Carolina | ESPN+ | | Live Stats
6:00 p.m. | at East Carolina | ESPN+ | | Live Stats

Friday, Feb. 24
10:00 a.m. | vs. Radford | Live Stats
12:30 p.m. | vs. Saint Francis University | Live Stats

Saturday, Feb. 25
12:30 p.m. | vs. Radford | Live Stats

Coach Caffrey's Call

"As we head into our third weekend of competition, I'm hoping we show a little more consistency in how we show up and compete in each game. We are focused on the process of winning and getting better with every opportunity we have, and I am excited to see how we do this weekend against some good teams."

The Inside "Herd" on the Bison

Bucknell went 1-3 at the NSU-Hampton. The Bison were defeated by Georgetown, Norfolk State, and Quinnipiac and beat Hampton.
Chase Knapp went 3-4 with two doubles and drove in both runs in the 2-0 triumph over Hampton.
Olivia Marinelli pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings with nine strikeouts against Hampton.
Senior Kailyn Lorberter hit her first career home run against Norfolk State.
Knapp leads the team in hitting with a .333 batting average and is tied for the RBI lead (5).
Madison Roukey has sparkled out of the gate, pitching a team-best 2.88 ERA, currently fifth-best in the Patriot League.

Overview of the Opposition

East Carolina-The Pirates are 8-2 and have won six-straight contests. They recently went 5-0 in the Battle of the Beach Tournament, where they defeated fellow Patriot League foe Colgate twice. The Pirates' sails are powered by their pitching staff which has recorded a team ERA of 1.83. Aces Addy Bullis (4-0 W-L, 0.61 ERA) and Jordan Hatch (4-1 WL, 1.13 ERA) will be fearsome galleons to sink.
Radford-The Highlanders are 4-3 and are coming off a midweek doubleheader victory against East Tennessee State. Laura Thompson has provided the drive, batting .455. Emily Smith brings the power with two home runs, and Abby Wilson shoos the ducks off the pond with her 10 RBIs. The Highlanders are on firm ground with their six-woman pitching rotation, which has a 2.53 ERA.
Saint Francis University- The five-time defending NEC Champions are off to a 3-5 start. They recently competed at the Phoenix Invite, where the Red Flash went 1-3 but defeated Michigan State. Madelyn Wilson leads SFU with a .357 average. The pair of aces, Rachel Marsden and Grace Vesco, have combined for 68 strikeouts in 49 1/3 innings.

History with the Foes

East Carolina- The Bison and the Pirates have met nine times, with ECU emerging victorious five times. The first meeting was in 1994, and the last meetings were in 2016, where the teams fought three times, with ECU winning two times.
Radford- Bucknell holds a 2-1-1 record against the Highlanders. The first meeting in 1996 and the last contest in 2002 were Bucknell victories. In between the victories, the teams sandwiched a Bucknell loss and the rare tie.
Saint Francis University- The in-state rivals have been frequent opponents since both teams clashed in 1987. Bucknell owns a 31-25 advantage in the series, but SFU won both meetings last year. The Bison and Red Flash will play three times this season, once at the Pirate Clash and then at a doubleheader in April.

Up Next

The Bison continue their nonconference tournament tour with five games at the TU DeMarini Invite hosted by Towson on March 3-5.