Thursday, May 8
West Point, N.Y.
11 a.m.
Bucknell University
at
#1 Army
Photo by: Steven Schoenfelder
Softball Journeys to West Point for Patriot League Tournament
5/7/2025 9:32:00 AM | Softball
LEWISBURG, Pa.- Starting on Thursday, Bucknell softball (17-28, 8-10 Patriot League) competes in its third straight Patriot League Tournament when the Bison travel to historic West Point. Bucknell earned the fourth seed and will face number one seed Army (33-20, 16-2 Patriot League) in the opening game on Thursday at noon. The Orange & Blue were swept earlier this year by Army at West Point in a series of closely-fought contests, as part of the Black Knights's surprised charge to the title. Perennial contenders Boston (36-17, 14-4 Patriot League) and Lehigh (28-22, 13-5 Patriot League) slot second and third respectively.
The same four teams made the tournament in 2024 but the seedings were different. Boston served as No. 1 and host while Army was fourth with Lehigh at two and Bucknell slotted third. The Bison upset Lehigh 1-0 in the opening round but fell to Boston in the semifinals and to Lehigh in the consolation bracket. Boston repeated as champions with a win over Lehigh.
Bucknell seeks its third Patriot League Tournament title and the first one since 2010. West Point was the site for that Orange & Blue triumph, where the third-seeded Bison fell into the consolation bracket but roared back with three straight wins, including a 2-1 victory over Army, to seize the title.
The Starting Lineup
What: Patriot League Tournament at West Point
Where: Army Softball Complex (West Point, N.Y.)
When: May 8-10
2025 Patriot League Softball Championship Schedule
Thursday, May 8 | Army Softball Complex
Game 1 - No. 1 Army West Point vs. No. 4 Bucknell | Noon | ESPN+ | Live Stats
Game 2 - No. 2 Boston University vs. No. 3 Lehigh, 2:30 p.m. | ESPN+ | Live Stats
Friday, May 9 | Army Softball Complex
Game 3 – Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2, Noon | ESPN+ | Live Stats
Game 4 – Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2, 2:30 p.m. | ESPN+ | Live Stats
Game 5 – Winner of Game 4 vs. Loser of Game 3, 4 p.m. | ESPN+ | Live Stats
Saturday, May 10 | Army Softball Complex
Game 6 – Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 5, Noon | ESPN+ | Live Stats
Game 7 – Winner of Game 6 vs. Loser of Game 6 (if necessary), 2:30 p.m. | ESPN+ | Live Stats
The Inside "Herd" on the Bison
Bucknell either competes in a NCAA regional for the third time or the program returns in 2026.
The same four teams made the tournament in 2024 but the seedings were different. Boston served as No. 1 and host while Army was fourth with Lehigh at two and Bucknell slotted third. The Bison upset Lehigh 1-0 in the opening round but fell to Boston in the semifinals and to Lehigh in the consolation bracket. Boston repeated as champions with a win over Lehigh.
Bucknell seeks its third Patriot League Tournament title and the first one since 2010. West Point was the site for that Orange & Blue triumph, where the third-seeded Bison fell into the consolation bracket but roared back with three straight wins, including a 2-1 victory over Army, to seize the title.
The Starting Lineup
What: Patriot League Tournament at West Point
Where: Army Softball Complex (West Point, N.Y.)
When: May 8-10
2025 Patriot League Softball Championship Schedule
Thursday, May 8 | Army Softball Complex
Game 1 - No. 1 Army West Point vs. No. 4 Bucknell | Noon | ESPN+ | Live Stats
Game 2 - No. 2 Boston University vs. No. 3 Lehigh, 2:30 p.m. | ESPN+ | Live Stats
Friday, May 9 | Army Softball Complex
Game 3 – Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2, Noon | ESPN+ | Live Stats
Game 4 – Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2, 2:30 p.m. | ESPN+ | Live Stats
Game 5 – Winner of Game 4 vs. Loser of Game 3, 4 p.m. | ESPN+ | Live Stats
Saturday, May 10 | Army Softball Complex
Game 6 – Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 5, Noon | ESPN+ | Live Stats
Game 7 – Winner of Game 6 vs. Loser of Game 6 (if necessary), 2:30 p.m. | ESPN+ | Live Stats
The Inside "Herd" on the Bison
- Bucknell swept Holy Cross 1-0, 4-0, and 6-4 last weekend to lock down the final Patriot League Tournament bid.
- The Bison pitching staff led the way on Saturday, tossing a pair of twin shutouts. Savannah Jones threw the 1-0 blanking and Madison Roukey obtained the 4-0 blackout.
- Jones provided the Bison's lone run, hitting a sacrifice fly.
- Bucknell used a pair of RBI singles and a Brooke Popella home run to power its way to the 4-0 win.
- Army defeated Colgate on Sunday morning before Bucknell's final game versus Holy Cross sealing the bid for the Bison. Bucknell did not relax and rallied from a 4-3 deficit to sweep the Crusaders for the third consecutive campaign.
- Jones supplied the Bison's first three runs. Popella cranked her second home run of the weekend while Skye Perez and Angelina Seropian roped RBI singles.
- Bucknell placed two athletes, Jones and Popella, on the All-Patriot League Second Team. Jones landed as a pitcher and Popella made it as an infielder.
- Jones is 3-for-3 for attendance on All-Patriot League Teams. The senior made it as Second Team At-Large (2023) and First Team At-Large (2024). She missed her freshman season due to injury. She is the first Bison since Raeanne Geffert (2017-19) to land three All-League spots. Geffert ironically too missed a fourth chance, not due to injury, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
- Jones's ERA sits at a career and team best 2.91, as the senior hurler has only yielded one run in the last 29 innings. Her mark ranks fourth in the Patriot League.
- The Bison have appeared 23 times in the Patriot League Tournament with a record of 32-44. The program has not won two tournament games since 2015.
- Army- The Black Knights compiled a 33-20 record and a Patriot League-best 16-2 mark. Like Bucknell, Army enters the tournament on an eight-game conference winning streak. West Point cleaned up in the league awards with Ashton White winning Player of the Week and Jen Consul receiving a no-doubt Coach of the Year. White leads Army's well-balanced attack with a .381 average, 12 doubles, one triple, five home runs, and 38 RBIs. The Black Knights are not a one-lance show; the team averages .312 with nine cadets over .300. Army's pitching staff boasts three pitchers with ERAs under 3.00. First Team member Katelyn Flanders is 11-3 with a team-best 2.42 ERA. She no-hit the Bison earlier this season. Breanna Izzo made the Second Team finishing 15-8 with a 2.99 ERA.
- Boston- Despite graduation removing most of the starters from its 53-win 2024 team, Boston reloaded going 36-17 overall and 14-4 in Patriot League play and placing five players on the All-League First Team. Ace Kasey Ricard returned for her sophomore year, repeating as Patriot League Pitcher of the Year with an outstanding 24-10 record and 1.99 ERA. Brooke Deppiesse landed Defensive Player of the Year but her bat made the most noise with 26 extra base hits (15 doubles, six triples, and five home runs) and a sterling .416 average. Boston didn't lack for offense, despite graduation eroding its stars, hitting .312 with 66 doubles, 22 triples, and 30 home runs.
- Lehigh- The Mountain Hawks slipped to third in the conference but the 28-22 overall mark and 13-5 Patriot League record were solid accomplishments. Lehigh, too, was hit by graduation. The Mountain Hawks enter the tournament on a five-game winning streak with two wins against Boston, a single tally versus Villanova, and a doubleheader sweep of Mount St. Mary's. Lehigh continued its typical average and speed game, collecting a .307 average and 55 stolen bases. Kelly Fricker dominated at the plate, batting .437 with 76 hits and 100 total bases. The Mountain Hawks pounded 76 doubles but only hit 11 home runs. Their pitching staff was impacted by graduation and provided an abnormal overall 4.80 ERA but the group lowered it to 3.32 against conference foes. Chloe Hess is the staff ace sitting at 11-8 with a 3.43 ERA.
- Army- Bucknell trails the all-time series 46-77 and were swept this season by the Black Knights. The Bison are 5-10 all-time in the PLT against Army with the last win occurring in 2014 when Bucknell won 3-2. The last tournament meeting against Army came in 2023 when the Black Knights edged Bucknell 3-2 in the consolation round.
- Boston- The Terriers lead the all-time series 30-7 and swept Bucknell this year. The Bison made it close and, in the first game, lost 14-7 in 15 innings (the longest game this season in Division I) when Boston struck for seven runs in the 15th inning. The Orange & Blue had multiple chances for a walkoff win. Bucknell is winless in the PLT versus Boston going 0-5. The two programs squared off last year in the semifinals where Boston won 5-2.
- Lehigh- The Mountain Hawks own the all-time series 110-48 and swept the Bison this season. Bucknell is 8-15 in the PLT versus Lehigh but did upset the foe 1-0 in last year's tournament. Lehigh revenged the loss in the consolation round.
Bucknell either competes in a NCAA regional for the third time or the program returns in 2026.
Players Mentioned
RHP/OF
/ Softball
INF/U
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INF
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RHP
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C/IF
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