Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Navy
Bison Baseball Takes a Pair From Navy
4/6/2002 7:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 6, 2002
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell (12-19, 3-3 Patriot League) shut out Navy (8-16, 3-3 Patriot League) 2-0 in the opener, and downed the Midshipmen 4-3 in the nightcap to come away with a sweep in Patriot League action Saturday afternoon at a blustery, snowy Bucknell Field.
In his first start of the season, Chris Lackett (1-1) picked up his first career shutout and out-dueled Navy starter Rich McDevitt (0-4) in game one. Brian Hirschberg drove in the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth in the second game with a one-out, pinch-hit single to score pinch-runner Steve Stutzman.
In the opener, neither team put a run on the scoreboard until the bottom of the fifth, when Bucknell plated a pair of runs on three hits and one error. With one out, Ben Krentzman broke up McDevitt's no-hit bid with a slicing double down the right field line. Ben Stoll then reached on an error by the second baseman to put runners on first and third. After Stoll swiped second, Chris Cipolloni dumped a single into left to score Krentzman. Phil Bunting followed up with an RBI-single into right that brought home Stoll from third to give Bucknell a 2-0 cushion.
Lackett retired Navy in order in the top of the seventh, and Bucknell earned its first shutout since April 22 of last season, when the Bison blanked Lehigh 7-0.
Only five batters reached base all game against Lackett, and he retired 12 of the last 14 he faced. He struck out one, walked two, and allowed only four fly ball outs. It was by far his longest outing of the season, as he had not pitched more than two innings in one game heading into the contest.
The Midshipmen reached second base just once in the first game, and never advanced to third.
McDevitt was just as impressive for Navy. He tossed a four-hit complete game for the Midshipmen, and allowed only one earned run. The right-hander retired 13 of the first 14 batters he faced, and carried a no-hitter into the fifth. He set down 10 Bison in a row at one point from the second through the fifth innings, and gave up just two fly ball outs. McDevitt finished with three strikeouts and no walks.
The nightcap also turned out to be a battle between the starting pitchers. Navy starter Andy Froistad surrendered only four hits in the first five innings, and took the mound in the bottom of the sixth with his team leading 2-1. But Froistad ran into trouble when Sam Moss led off by reaching on an error by the shortstop. After recording a pair of outs, Pete Wolf was hit with a pitch, putting runners on a second and first.
B.J. Batterson then stepped to the plate and worked the count to 2-0 before the game was suspended due to a heavy snowfall. When play resumed 10 minutes later, Batterson walked to load the bases, and Navy called on reliever Bryan Koehler, who walked in Krentzman to tie the game at 2-2.
Froistad's counterpart, Kevin Burns, was also effective in the early going, and limited Navy to a pair of runs on five hits through the first six innings. But after he walked John Cocca with one out to put runners on first and second in the top of the seventh, Bucknell head coach Gene Depew called on Gregg Farmery out of the pen. Farmery proceeded to hit Dean Farmer to load the bases, then balked home a run as Navy reclaimed the lead at 3-2.
Bucknell answered with one run in the bottom of the seventh to send the game into extra innings. After walking Cipolloni with one out, Koehler was replaced by third baseman Jake Miller on the mound. Miller uncorked a wild pitch to move Cipolloni to second before striking out Moss. Larry Scheetz tied the game on the next at-bat with an RBI-single to center.
After Navy left the bases loaded in the top of the eighth, which included another brief snow delay, Batterson led off the bottom of the frame with his second straight walk. Krentzman followed up with a sacrifice bunt, and Miller walked Austin Barrett intentionally to get to Stoll. Depew called on Brian Hirschberg to pinch-hit, and Hirschberg drove the first pitch - a high fastball - into left center. Stutzman was waved home from second, and easily beat the relay throw as the Bison beat Navy for the fifth time in a row.
Farmery (4-2) worked one and two-third innings and came away with the win. Miller suffered the loss and fell to 0-1.
Scheetz led the Bison at the plate with a pair of hits. Miller, Neil Brubeck and Chris Ashinhurst each notched a pair of hits for Navy.
Both teams will face off again on Sunday with another doubleheader starting at noon.
