May 6, 2008

LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell baseball squad landed seven student-athletes on the 2008 All-Patriot League first and second teams, the league office announced on Wednesday, marking the program's highest total since 2003 when eight Bison collected all-league accolades. Two members of the Orange and Blue were named to the first team, while five more earned second team recognition as the Bison trailed only Army's league-leading total of eight honorees.

Senior Jason Buursma (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside School) and sophomore John Avanzino (Manhasset, N.Y./Manhasset), represented Bucknell on the first team. Senior Mathew Wilson (Toronto, Ontario/Northern S.S.), senior Mark Angelo (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown), sophomore Ben Yoder (Belleville, Pa./Indian Valley), sophomore Ben Allen (Port Royal, Pa./Juniata) and junior Dane Grandizio (Bloomsburg, Pa./Bloomsburg) all picked up second team selections.

For Buursma, who was named to the first team as an outfielder, the award was his fifth of his career, which he earned after finishing the regular season as the Patriot League leader with a .400 batting average, 11 home runs and a .725 slugging percentage. Buursma paces the Bison with 34 RBI and has belted six doubles and scored 29 runs to-date. He was a first team relief pitcher in 2006 and 2007 and was named to the second team in 2005 and 2006 as a first baseman and a designated hitter, respectively. Buursma is the first player in Bucknell history to collect five all-league accolades and trails only Army's Cole White for the most all-league selections in PL history as White earned his seventh career honor as a first team outfielder this season.

Avanzino receives his first all-league recognition of his career after hitting .331 as the team's designated hitter with a .629 slugging percentage. During the regular season, Avanzino played in 38 games, starting 32, and compiled 41 hits, 22 runs scored, eight doubles, one triple, nine home runs and 33 RBI. He was honored as the Patriot League and ECAC Player of the Week and named to the College Baseball Foundation's National All-Star Lineup during the first week of April for helping the Bison take three-of-four games in its series versus Army, hitting .471 against the Black Knights with four home runs and eight RBI.

Four out of five of Bucknell's second team representatives were first time all-league selections, including Wilson who is the first Bison starting pitcher to gain all-league status since 2003. Despite missing nearly a month due to injury, Wilson returned to the mound in time to help the Orange and Blue to a postseason berth by going 3-0 in three starts against Patriot League foes with a 2.14 ERA, 22 strikeouts and just six walks in 21 innings of work. Overall, Wilson owns a 4-1 record in six starts for a total of 39.1 innings and has recorded 46 strikeouts and only 10 walks, averaging 10.53 strikeouts per game. He was named the Patriot League and ECAC Pitcher of the Week for fanning a career-high 11 batters in a complete-game shutout against Holy Cross on Apr. 13.

After posting career highs in every offensive category, Angelo was rewarded with a spot on the all-league second team as the first baseman hit .335 with a team-best 55 hits. The lone member of the Orange and Blue to play in all 45 of the squad's games during the regular season, starting 44, Angelo totaled six doubles, one triple, two home runs, scored 26 and drove in 32.

Both of Bucknell's middle infielders, Yoder and Allen, were second team honorees. To follow up a freshman campaign that saw him garner Patriot League Rookie of the Year and Freshman All-America recognition, Yoder hit .309, starting 32 games at second base for the Bison thus far. He has knocked in 24 runs on 38 hits and has scored 23 times. Starting all 20 contests during PL play, Yoder hit .333 and led the team in RBI (16) and runs scored (16). Allen has seen action in 43 games, starting 42, and currently paces the squad with 37 runs scored and 18 walks. The shortstop has also contributed six doubles and 19 RBI on the year.

For a second consecutive season, Grandizio is a member of the Second Team All-Patriot League outfield and enters the postseason hitting .331 with 27 runs scored and 29 RBI. The junior has played in 40 games, tallying eight doubles, one triple and three home runs. Twenty-five of his 51 hits came in league games, for a Patriot League batting average of .333.

The Bison will be back in action this Saturday, May 10, when the squad will travel to West Point, N.Y., to face No. 1-seed Army in a best-of-three Patriot League semifinal series. Game one is scheduled to begin at noon.