May 21, 2008
From Bucknell Athletic Communications
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell baseball senior Jason Buursma was named to the College Baseball Foundation's National All-Star Lineup on Wednesday after recording both wins on the mound for the Bison in the best-of-three Patriot League Championship series at Navy last weekend, helping Bucknell upset the No.-2 seeded Mids to capture its fourth Patriot League title and earn an NCAA Tournament berth.
Buursma becomes the second member of the Orange and Blue to be a part of the National All-Star Lineup this season. Sophomore John Avanzino was honored by the CBF back on April 2 for totaling 15 RBI and scoring 10 runs in the team's seven games the week before. Buursma is the third Patriot Leaguer to make the list, as Army starting pitcher Ben Koenigsfeld also earned the weekly honor on May 7 after throwing a two-hit shutout against Lafayette.
Buursma was honored as the 2008 Patriot League Tournament MVP after he accomplished the remarkable feat of recording all four of Bucknell's tournament wins en route to the championship. In the semifinals, he came out of the bullpen to post both victories as the No. 4-seeded Bison knocked off top-seeded Army, 2-1, in the three-game series. He followed up in the championship round by logging two more wins in relief outings, carrying Bucknell to a two-game sweep of Navy. Buursma finished the Patriot League Tournament with a 0.00 ERA in 10.0 innings on the mound, allowed just three hits, struck out eight and walked none for an opponent's batting average of .091.
Buursma, a two-way standout for the Orange and Blue, also used his bat to help the squad overcome five-run deficits in both of its wins over Navy. In game one, the Bison entered the top of the seventh trailing the Mids, 6-1, and managed to even the score with five in the seventh before adding the go-ahead run in the ninth. Buursma reached with a single in the seventh and later crossed the plate for the tying run. Then in the top of the ninth, he singled again, was sacrificed over to second and scored what would be the winning run on a base knock by senior Shawn Hirsch.
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Bucknell faced a strikingly similar situation in game two as the squad fell down 7-2 to Navy before plating six unanswered runs in the final four innings. With the Bison serving as the designated home team for game two, Buursma retired the side on the mound in the top of the ninth and led off the bottom of the frame with a single. Once again, he was sacrificed over to second and, following an intentional walk to Hirsch, senior Ed Rubbo dropped a two-out single just inside the right field line to bring in Buursma for the deciding run.
Buursma's game two victory against the Midshipmen moved him to 9-3 on the season, giving him sole ownership of Bucknell's single season wins record. The 2008 Patriot League Player of the Year, Buursma broke the school record for career home runs earlier this spring and added another to his total this weekend as he now has 23 in his career and 12 on the year. His 12 home runs matches the second-highest total in both Bucknell and Patriot League history, while he is currently first in the PL record book for career ERA (2.19) and tied for second for wins in a season as well. Entering this weekend's games, Buursma is the only Division I player in the nation with nine or more wins and 10 or more home runs to his credit thus far.
