May 28, 2008
Patriot League Baseball NCAA Regional Release - 5.28.08 
Center Valley, Pa. - Patriot League champion Bucknell heads to Tallahassee for the NCAA Division I Baseball Regionals, beginning with a Friday contest against national No. 4 seed and host Florida State. The Bison will face either Florida or Tulane on Saturday in the double-elimination tournament, with additional games to be determined based on the first two days of results. Bucknell will play as the No. 4 seed in the regional, with Florida State as the No. 1, Florida at No. 2 and Tulane as the No. 3.
The Bison advanced to the NCAA field for the first time since 2003 after sweeping Navy for the Patriot League Championship on May 16-17. Bucknell rallied from five-run deficits in both wins of the two-game sweep, with the winning run scoring in the ninth inning in each contest. Jason Buursma earned both of the victories in the series against Navy in addition to notching the wins in the semifinal series against Army to earn Patriot League Tournament Most Valuable Player honors. Buursma pitched a combined 10 scoreless innings in the two series. Bucknell continued its winning ways by sweeping a three-game series against Columbia over the weekend, and has won six in a row overall.
Bucknell is in the NCAA Regional for the fourth time, giving them the most appearances as a Patriot League member. The Bison are still looking for their first victory, with an 0-6 record in their previous trips in 1996, 2001 and 2003. Bucknell faced Florida in the 1996 regionals, dropping a 7-0 contest to the Gators. Bucknell has never faced Florida State on the baseball diamond.
Patriot League teams have won three games in NCAA Regional play, with the last coming when Army posted a victory against South Alabama in Tallahassee in 2005. The Black Knights fell to Florida State, 3-2, in the first round that season in the only prior NCAA meeting for a Patriot League squad against the Seminoles.
Patriot League NCAA Tournament Notebook
Bison Make Fourth NCAA Appearance
After winning its fourth Patriot League Championship, Bucknell becomes the first program to represent the League in four NCAA Tournaments. The Bison previously made the field after winning the League crown in 1996, 2001 and 2003, posting an 0-6 record in those appearances.
Bucknell Rolls into NCAA Play
Bucknell comes into NCAA action on its longest winning streak of the year, up to six games after sweeping a three-game series against Ivy League champion Columbia over the weekend. The Bison won their decisive game against Army in the Patriot League semifinals to start the streak, then took both games of the League Championship series at Navy.
Second Trip to Tallahassee
Bucknell will be the second Patriot League representative to play an NCAA Regional in Tallahassee, with Army previously making the trip in 2005. That Black Knights team put up the best showing for a Patriot League squad in an NCAA regional. It played a solid game in a 3-2 loss to Florida State in the opener, then defeated South Alabama, 8-5, for one of three all-time victories for the League in NCAA play. Army was knocked out by Auburn, 12-3. A Patriot League team is heading to the state of Florida in the regional round for the fourth time, with Bucknell going for a third time after traveling to Miami (Fla.) (2001) and the University of Florida (1996).
ACC You Again
For the fourth consecutive year and sixth time overall, a Patriot League team will play in a regional at the site of an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent. The Patriot League squads have not enjoyed much luck against the ACC in the past, posting an 0-6 record in NCAA Tournament matchups. Patriot League teams are 1-8 against ACC compeititon in 2008, with Lehigh getting the victory against Boston College. Bucknell did not play any games against an ACC squad this season.
Back to the Sunshine State
Bucknell hopes its late spring trip to Florida will be a more productive venutre than its late winter journey. The Bison recorded a 2-5 record on their swing to Bradenton from March 9-15, winning the first two contests before dropping five.
Buursma Winning All the Awards
Bucknell's Jason Buursma became the first student-athlete in Patriot League Baseball history to win the League's three most significant awards. Buursma claimed the Player of the Year honor at the conclusion of the regular season, and captured the Scholar-Athlete of the Year award one week later. He capped an unbelievable run of hardware by earning Patriot League Tournament Most Valuable Player honors after an extraordinary stretch where he picked up all four of Bucknell's victories out of the bullpen. Buursma has been a candidate for mulitple national awards in 2008, and is one of 10 finalists for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. He was named an ESPN The Magazine First-Team Academic All-American on Tuesday.
First Champion at .500
With a new, expanded format allowing four teams into the Patriot League Tournament, Bucknell earned the No. 4 seed with a 10-10 League record. By winning the title as the first No. 4 seed in League history, the Bison also became the first Patriot League champion that finished at .500 in League play. The record came after a competitive season where only six games separated first-place Army from sixth-place Lehigh in the Patriot League standings. It was the first time that all League teams were within six games of each other.
Everyone Wins 20
For the first time in League history, all six Patriot League schools have recorded 20 victories for the season. Holy Cross finished with 21 victories for its first 20-win season since 1980. Every other team had at least 23 wins, including Navy with a League-high 32. Before this year, there was no season where every team won more than 16 games. The Patriot League is guaranteed of its third all-time winning record in non-League games, and second in the last three years.
