Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Cornell
Bison Baseball Sweeps Cornell in Home-Opening Doubleheader
3/2/2002 7:00:00 AM | Baseball
Bucknell upped its record to 2-6 with the win, while Cornell, competing in its season-opening games, fell to 0-2.
Farmery allowed just one hit and blanked Cornell over the final two innings to preserve the Bison's 3-1 victory in game one. In the nightcap, Farmery entered the game in the top of the seventh with Bucknell trailing 5-4 and retired all three batters he faced. He picked up the victory after the Bison rallied to win with two runs in the bottom of the seventh.
The Bison took advantage of two Cornell errors in the bottom of the first to forge a 2-0 lead against Big Red starter Brendan McQuaid (0-1) in the opener. With two outs, senior Eric Fishman beat out an infield single, stole second, and advanced to third on Cornell catcher Tony Depalo's wild throw. Fishman scored when sophomore Pete Wolf reached on an error, and junior B.J. Batterson moved Wolf to third on single to centerfield. Wolf capped the inning by scoring on a double-steal.
Cornell scored its only run of the game in the top of the fourth off Bucknell starter Zach Allen (1-2). Erik Rico, a 2001 All-Ivy League rightfielder/pitcher, led off the inning with a single to right, and moved to second a wild pitch. Rico scored on Flint Foley's RBI-single to left-center.
Allen redeemed himself in the bottom of the fifth by striking out Rico with runners on first and second and two out.
Bucknell added an insurance run in the sixth when Batterson drove in senior Larry Scheetz on a sacrifice fly.
Allen gave up five hits and posted four strikeouts in five innings of work to come away with his first win of the season. Farmery allowed just one runner to reach base in the final two frames and picked up his first save of the year. McQuaid threw all six innings and suffered the loss despite giving up only three hits and one earned run.
The nightcap was more of an offensive affair. Cornell jumped on Bucknell starter Kevin Burns for three runs in the top of the first, but the Bison answered with a pair of runs off Cornell starter Chris Schutt in the bottom of the inning. Justin Irizarry led off the game with a walk and stole second to get things started for the Big Red. Irizarry scored on Dan Baysinger's single, and Cornell opened up a 3-0 lead when Rico crushed a two-run homer over the centerfield fence.
Senior Eric Fishman cut the gap to 3-2 with a two-run homer to right in the bottom of the first. Fishman's dinger drove in Scheetz, who reached on a walk.
After the tumultuous first inning, Schutt and Burns settled down and fired three straight shutout innings. Cornell finally broke through in the top of the fifth when Baysinger lined a two-run homer to left to open up a 5-2 lead. But the Bison came right back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning. Junior Chris Cipolloni led off the frame with a triple to right-centerfield, and scored when Scheetz beat out an infield single. After reaching on a fielder's choice, Fishman moved to third on a wild pitch and scored when Wolf reached first after striking out on a wild pitch.
Bucknell rallied to win with three hits and one error in the bottom of the seventh off Cornell reliever David Sharfstein (0-1). Freshman Brian Day led off with a pinch-hit single, and with two outs sophomore Jon Campagna kept the Bison alive with a single up the middle. Batterson tied the game at 5-5 on a single down the leftfield line, scoring pinch-runner Steve Stutzman from second. Campagna scored the winning run from second after a groundball by sophomore Sam Moss went through the legs of Cornell shortstop Baysinger.
Farmery (1-0) set the Big Red down in order in the top of the seventh to come away with the win. Farmery has now pitched 6.2 innings this season without allowing a run.
In six innings of work, Burns gave up four hits, struck out eight and walked five. Schutt was touched up for four runs and six hits in 4.2 innings. He also recorded four strikeouts and four walks.
Bucknell and Cornell return to action tomorrow with a doubleheader beginning at noon back at West Field.
