Softball Heads to Virginia for the Party at Palmer Invitational

Friday, February 27

Charlottesville, Va.

3 p.m.

Bucknell University

Virginia

Photo by: Aiden Pelphrey

Softball Heads to Virginia for the Party at Palmer Invitational

2/26/2026 4:48:00 PM | Softball

LEWISBURG, Pa.- Bucknell Softball (1-8) will face three challenging opponents this weekend at Virginia's Party at Palmer Invitational. The Bison will battle #18 Virginia, receiving votes Michigan, and Big East foe Villanova. The Orange & Blue look to find some momentum after a 0-4 outing last weekend at the UNCG Invitational where Bucknell dropped two one-run heartbreakers. The Bison play Virginia and Villanova on Friday, Michigan and Villanova on Saturday, and Virginia on Sunday. The Virginia games will be streamed on ACCNX.

Stackhouse's Statement

"This weekend at the University of Virginia is exactly the kind of stage we want to be on. We're facing a nationally ranked Virginia team and a powerhouse in the University of Michigan and that is a challenge we embrace. If we want to do big things in Patriot League play, we have to be willing to step into big moments now. Our focus isn't on the name across the jersey - it's on stacking small wins, winning pitches, making adjustments, and competing with grit every inning. Weekends like this prepare us for where we belive we're headed later in the season."

The Inside "Herd" on the Bison

Bucknell went 0-4 at the UNCG Invitational last weekend. The Bison dropped a pair of run-rule games on Friday but rebounded to play two competitive contests on Saturday. The Orange & Blue rallied to take the lead on Kent State but lost 5-4 in eight innings. Canisius grabbed a 7-1 lead on the Bison before Bucknell rallied for the 10-8 lead. The Golden Griffins retook the lead for the 11-10 victory. Sunday's rematch with Canisius was canceled due to inclement weather.
Sarah Zimmerman enjoyed a career weekend. The junior hit .667 (6-of-9), had an OBP of .700, and slugged an astronomical 1.444. She collected two doubles, one triple, and her first career home run - a three-run blast against Canisius. She drove in six RBIs.
Zimmerman won her first ever Patriot League Player of the Week award for the historic performance.
Brooke Popella leads the team in batting average (.400) and has one home run and six RBIs.
Bucknell's bats have been warm in the first month, hitting .307 with 47 runs in nine games.

Overview of the Opposition

Michigan- The Wolverines are 12-3 and are receiving votes in the latest NFCA poll. Michigan has been a hitting machine, ranking among the nation's leaders in several power categories, listing 11th with 26 total home runs, 13th with a 1.73 home-runs-per-game average, and 22nd with their .593 team slugging percentage. Lauren Putz slots third nationally with ten home runs. Gabby Ellis sports a 6-0 record.
Villanova- The Wildcats are an uncharacteristic 0-15 to start the season after posting a 27-26-1 record in 2025. The Wildcats have faced a brutal schedule filled with ACC, SEC, and ranked foes. They went scoreless in their first four games. The Wildcats are hitting .174 and their staff has a 7.55 ERA.
#18 Virginia- The Cavaliers are off to their best start (13-1) in program history. The Wahoos dropped their first game to #9 Arkansas but rebounded with 13 straight wins, including a revenge victory over the Razorbacks. The Cavs have relied on the long ball, belting 26 bombs in 15 games. Eden Bigham and Courtney Layne spot 5-0 records and the team owns a 2.28 ERA.

History with the Foes

Michigan- This is the first meeting between the two teams.
Villanova- The Bison are 0-2 versus the Wildcats. The two squad met twice in 2002. Bucknell lost 8-0 and 1-0.
#18 Virginia- Bucknell is 0-3 in the series, which started with a pair of 2-1 losses in 2020. The last meeting was a 5-1 defeat in 2022.

Up Next

Bucknell begins the spring break trip next weekend with the Winthrop Invitational.