WEST POINT, N.Y. (Interstat) — A pivotal Patriot League series opens Friday when the Bucknell Bison visit the Army Black Knights at Johnson Stadium at Doubleday Field.

First pitch for the opener is set for late afternoon under cloudy skies and a forecast temperature near 90 degrees. The matchup features two teams jockeying for position in the conference standings, with Bucknell at 20-15 overall and Army at 19-15.

The Bison look to rebound from a 14-2 midweek loss at Villanova on Tuesday. A bright spot in that defeat was reliever Liam Jones, who pitched a perfect inning. Jones has been a key arm out of the bullpen, not allowing an earned run in three of his last four appearances, including a two-inning, four-strikeout performance at Lafayette on April 4.

Army enters with momentum from an 18-8 rout of Wagner on Tuesday, powered by a historic day from center fielder Chris Barr. The senior went a perfect 5-for-5 with a home run and four RBIs in the victory. Barr is batting .500 (11-for-22) with nine RBIs over his last six games, providing a significant spark to the Black Knights’ lineup.

The series holds major implications for the Patriot League race. According to Interstat analytics, Army is projected as a solid favorite with a 64.1% probability to win. The same system predicts a tightly contested game, simulating a 7-6 victory for the Black Knights.

Bucknell will aim to leverage its recent success in close games, including a 5-4 win over Holy Cross and a 10-8, 10-inning victory at Lafayette earlier this month. Army seeks to continue its offensive surge after scoring 55 runs across its last four games.

The series continues with a doubleheader on Saturday and concludes Sunday.