On Tuesday, May 10, the Patriot League announced that Bucknell University junior Ryan Ebner ’08 (Sinking Spring, PA) was named the league’s Pitcher of the Year. Ebner also was one of six Bison players to be named to the All-Patriot League Team, and the first Bison to earn Pitcher of the Year honors since 2003.
Ebner finished the season with a 6-1 record, a 4.01 ERA, and recorded 49 strikeouts while limiting opposing batters to a .229 batting average. In Patriot League action, his 3.00 ERA was the third best ERA in the entire league.
Ebner attended The Hill as a post-graduate for the 2007-08 school year. In addition to being a stellar pitcher on Hill’s baseball team that spring, Ebner also starred on Hill’s outstanding basketball team that won the Mid Atlantic Prep League championship, and came within three points of winning the PAISAA basketball championship.
“Ryan is a steady competitor who leads by example and works hard on a daily basis to improve his already considerable skills,” said Dr. Jim Finn, head baseball coach at The Hill since 1978. “During his year at The Hill, his teammates enjoyed playing behind him because he worked quickly and threw strikes, which helped contribute greatly to our success that season. I’m not at all surprised that Ryan has continued to develop at Bucknell, and on behalf of us all at The Hill, offer congratulations to him for the well-deserved recognition that he has received.”
Shortly after earning Pitcher of the Year honors, Ebner threw a gem against the US Naval Academy in the Patriot League playoffs on Saturday, May 14. With Bucknell down 1-0 in the best of three series, Ebner threw 8 scorless innings while striking out five and allowing only five hits as Bucknell pulled out a 1-0 win in a 16 inning marathon to even the series at one game apiece. Unfortunately, Bucknell dropped the third game of the series.