Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
St. Bonaventure
Bucknell Baseball Drops Season Opener on Spring Break Trip
3/9/2003 7:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 9, 2003
BRADENTON, Fla. - In their season opener Sunday afternoon at IMG Academy Park, the Bison dropped a 10-4 decision to St. Bonaventure University. Sam Moss collected two hits and scored a run for Bucknell, but the Bonnies' 14-hit attack was just too much for the Bison. Mike Rapacioli led St. Bonaventure with four hits and three runs scored, while Damian Blakely added a home run and five runs batted in.
St. Bonaventure opened up the scoring in the bottom of the second off Bison starter R.J. Grant. After back-to-back singles put Bonnies on first and third with no outs, Blakeley blasted a three-run home run to left field. The Bonnies added two runs in the third after a double by Rapacioli scored Eric Wilson, followed by a Blakeley single scoring Rapacioli.
Bucknell's first hit of the afternoon came in the sixth on a one-out single by junior Chris Mahony. Ben Stoll followed with a single plating sophomore Phil Bunting with Bucknell's first run. After another single by Moss and a Bonnies' passed ball that allowed Mahoney to score, Pete Wolf's single up the middle plated Moss with Bucknell's third run of the inning.
The Bonnies added another run in the fifth off Bison reliever Matt Daley to take a 6-3 lead. Then in the sixth, back-to-back doubles by Wilson and Rapacioli led to two more Bonnies' scores. Freshman Marc Cussatt, in his first collegiate appearance, pitched the eighth, allowing two hits and two unearned runs.
In Bucknell's half of the ninth, freshman Kyle Walter led off with a single in his first collegiate at bat. Walter scored Bucknell's final run three batters later on freshman Chris Grandizio's RBI groundout. Bonnies' reliever John Brewer struck out the next Bison batter to seal the 10-4 victory.
Grant took the loss for Bucknell, allowing five runs on eight hits while striking out three. Winning pitcher Mike McCormack held the Bison to three runs on five hits with six strikeouts in seven innings.
The Bison return to action Monday at IMG Academy Park taking on Harvard at 1:30 pm.
