Game Notes | Live Stats | NEC Front Row
 
LORETTO, Pa. – The Saint Francis softball team welcomes Bucknell on Tuesday for a non-conference doubleheader with the in-state rival.  The doubleheader begins at 3 p.m. at Red Flash Softball Field with a webcast on NEC Front Row.
 
The Red Flash enters the series with a 24-17 overall mark after sweeping Sacred Heart on Saturday.  SFU earned 6-1 and 11-2 wins over the Pioneers.  After the weekend, Saint Francis sits in sole possession of first place in the Northeast Conference.

SFU resumes conference play this weekend, hosting Bryant on Saturday for a 1 p.m. doubleheader and Mount St. Mary's on Sunday for a Noon twinbill.  The team will also celebrate Senior Day against The Mount.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Saint Francis trails the all-time series, 28-9, against Bucknell.  The Red Flash fell 5-3 to the Bison on February 19 at the East Carolina Pirate Clash.  Saint Francis is looking to break a five-game losing streak against Bucknell, with its last win in the series coming on April 17, 2013.
 
NORTON NEC ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Freshman Hayley Norton (Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove) was named NEC Rookie of the Week for the sixth time this season, announced by the conference on Monday.

Norton hit .467 (7-for-15) in four games this week, including three doubles, four RBI and four runs scored.  She also walked twice and stole a base.

Her top performance of the week came in the 11-2 win over Sacred Heart in Saturday's second game.  The Spring Grove, Pa. native went 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles, including a ground-rule, four RBI and two runs. 

She also went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored in game two against Pitt last Wednesday.

Norton leads the NEC with a .600 average (12-for-20) in conference play, including three doubles, three homers and 11 RBI. 

On the season, Norton leads SFU in batting average (.363), hits (49), doubles (11), triples (3), RBI(44) and slugging percentage (.711).

Norton is currently second among division I freshmen with 44 RBI, trailing only Louisville's Megan Hensley, who has 48 RBI.
 
BREAKING RECORDS
Saint Francis set two single-season school records on Saturday in the first game against Sacred Heart. 

Jordan Seneca (Plum, Pa./Plum)'s run in the sixth inning, on Melanie Martire (Herndon, Va./Herndon)'s double, was SFU's 256th run of the season, passing the mark held by the 2006 team.  The Red Flash is on pace to also break the NEC season-record of 353 by UMBC in 2002.

Martire's RBI was also the Red Flash's 232nd as a team this season, bettering the program-record, also held by the 2006 squad.  SFU could also break the NEC record for RBI in a season, held by UMBC with 320 in 2002.

With at least 14 games remaining, Saint Francis has a chance to also set single-season records for batting average (.299, 1994), hits (429, 2006) and doubles (85, 2006).  The Red Flash could also top the NEC record for home runs, currently held by Bryant, who hit 55 bombs last year.

Individually, with one walk today, Seneca will break the single-season mark held by Jamie Krusinsky (30) in 2002.  Hayley Norton (Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove) needs one RBI to tie Autumn Helsel's school-record of 45 RBI, set in 1997.

Sierra McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) has 40 runs scored on the season, only four behind the SFU record held by Nicole Bender in 2008.  Seneca could also reach the single-season home run record, held by Krusinsky with 14 in 2000.  Seneca has 11 homers this year.
 
SCOUTING THE BISON
Bucknell is 22-18 overall, including 7-5 in the Patriot League, this year.  The Bison dropped a midweek doubleheader at Penn State last Wednesday, falling 2-1 and 4-1.  They went 1-2 over the weekend against Boston University, including a 5-1 win on Saturday.

The Bison are batting .288 as a team and averaging 4.4 runs per game.  Meghan Kovac leads the team with a .406 average, including a team-best 56 hits, 16 doubles, four home runs and 31 RBI.  Amanda Fazio holds a .373 average with 50 hits and 29 runs scored to go with 14 RBI and 21 stolen bases. 

Bucknell is strong in the circle, ranking 41st in division I in ERA, with a 2.71 mark.  Opposing teams are hitting .251 against the Bison staff.  Fazio is 49th in the nation with a 1.81 ERA in 26 appearances, including 18 starts.  She is 12-8 and has 107 strikeouts in 131.2 innings.  Dana Nielsen has made 20 appearances, with 15 starts, and owns a 3.07 ERA in 91.1 innings.