Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Manhattan
Bison Baseball Loses Third Straight in 6-4 Loss to Manhattan
3/12/2002 7:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 12, 2002
BRADENTON, Fla. - Manhattan scored six unanswered runs to erase a 4-0 deficit, and the Jaspers defeated Bucknell 6-4 this morning in non-league baseball action at Academy Park.
Bucknell (4-9) lost for the third time in as many days to open its Spring Break Trip. Manhattan improved to 6-5.
Manhattan winning pitcher Mike Parisi (2-0) scattered seven hits and struck out four in a complete game victory. Junior R.J. Grant (0-2) started for the Bison and took the loss. Grant surrendered five runs and nine hits over five innings. He also struck out three and walked four.
Bucknell's offense was in high gear early, as the Bison banged out four hits for four runs after two innings. BU went ahead 2-0 in the bottom of the first on a two-run single by junior B.J. Batterson. Sophomore Chris Mahony led off the inning with a single to left, and senior Eric Fishman was hit by a pitch. Both runners scored on Batterson's line drive down the rightfield line.
The Bison increased their lead to 4-0 in the second. Sophomore Ben Stoll reached on an error, and sophomore Chris Cipolloni trotted to first on a walk. Mahony bunted the runners to second and third, and senior Larry Scheetz scored Stoll on a groundout to shortstop. Fishman drove in Cipolloni with a single to left.
Manhattan cut the gap to 4-2 with a two-run third. Jonathan Holzer singled to lead off the frame, and Gary Diaz doubled. Holzer scored on a throwing error by Fishman, and Diaz advanced to third. Matt Cucurullo brought in Diaz with a sacrifice fly.
The Jaspers went ahead 5-4 in the fifth on Frank Capello's three-run double, scoring Holzer, Cucurullo and Wendell Anderson. Holzer led off with a single, and Cucurullo and Anderson walked before Capello's bases-clearing blast to center.
Manhattan pushed across another run in the eighth off Bison reliever Blane Sharpless. Eric Fierro led off with a single and scored three batters later on a double play throw that got past Batterson at first base.
Sharpless threw two innings and allowed one run on one hit, two walks and a wild pitch. He also struck out two.
Freshman Eric Steinbach also threw two innings of relief for Bucknell, and shut out the Jaspers in the sixth and seventh. Making his second collegiate appearance, Steinbach gave up three hits with one strikeout and no walks.
Fierro finished 4-for-4 at the plate for Manhattan, while Chris Gaskin went 3-for-5. Holzar and Diaz each had two hits apiece.
Sophomore Brian Hirschberg recorded his first two collegiate hits for the Bison, and ended up 2-for-4 with a double.
Bucknell continues its Spring Break Trip tomorrow with a 2:30 meeting with Yale.
