Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Navy *
Comeback in Opener Falls Short, But Bucknell Baseball Splits with Navy
3/28/2004 7:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 28, 2004
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell baseball team came close to erasing a 9-2 deficit in Sunday's opener versus Navy, earning four runs in the ninth to cut the lead to 9-7, but could not get all the timely hits necessary to keep a four-game sweep of the Mids alive. In Sunday's second game, however, Cory Nadler (1-1) threw his best performance of the season in a 9-1 win.
The Bison's (12-7, 3-1 PL) near-comeback in game one was hindered long before catcher Austin Barrett hit into a double play that ended the game, as Bucknell left the bases loaded twice, in the third and sixth innings. Chris Mahony and Sam Moss each had three hits for the Bison, while Pete Wolf and Brian Day had two each. Mahony and Kyle Walter had two each of Bucknell's six RBI, while Navy's designated hitter, Trevor Thompson, had a game high three on a three-for-four performance at the plate. First baseman Jared Munde also had three hits for Navy (7-19, 1-3 PL).
Navy put Bucknell in the hole with a six-run first inning off Bison starter Phil Futrick (2-1). The sophomore allowed seven of the first eight Midshipmen to reach base, the first six of whom scored, before getting the ninth and tenth batters of the inning out to end the Navy deluge.
Before the Bison got on the board in their half of the third, Navy scored its seventh run of the game in the top of the inning when Munde doubled home left fielder J.P. Temperilli. Steve Stutzman scored Bucknell's first run all the way from first base on a double to centerfield by Phil Bunting. Moss brought Bunting home with a double of his own.
The Mids completed their scoring in the fourth inning with a two-run Thompson single, building a 9-2 lead that the Bison would come tantalizingly close to eclipsing. The inning was Futrick's last, as he gave up nine runs on eight hits with four walks in his four innings. Freshman Matt Curry entered the game in relief, giving up just three hits in his three innings.
With the bases loaded in the sixth, Bucknell cut the lead to 9-3 when Bunting reached on an error by Navy third baseman Matt Lukevics that scored Brian Hirschberg. Navy used three pitchers in the seventh inning, two of whom failed to record an out. Starter Jeff Lange (2-1), who gave up five runs on 11 hits while striking out five, was pulled after two batters in favor of Joe Koessler, who was pulled two batters later. Lange stayed around long enough to allow Kyle Walter his second home run of the year, a two-run shot down the left field line.
With two on, Navy looked to Burgess Nichols to hold the Bison and record his second save of the season. After a walk to Hirschberg, Mahony brought home two to bring Bucknell within 9-7. Nichols then got pinch hitter Brad Duvall to fly out and Barrett to ground into a double play, ending the comeback.
In the second game, Nadler threw six innings for Bucknell, giving up five hits and one run on a solo home run by Temperilli in the fourth. Five Bison had multiple hits in the win, as Mahony had four, Hirschberg and Matt Capece had three apiece, and Sam Moss and Pete Wolf had two each. Ben Stoll, Hirschberg, Mahony, and Capece all had two RBI.
Bunting brought home Mahony from third base to break the scoreless tie in the third inning before Mahony brought in two more in the fourth, putting Bucknell up 3-1. The lead grew to 7-1 in the sixth, highlighted by Hirschberg's two-run home run to centerfield and Stoll's two-RBI single. The Bison completed the scoring on Capece's two-RBI single in the seventh.
Nathan Mittag kept Navy off the board by giving up just two hits in his three innings in relief of Nadler. earning his second save of the year. Navy starter Daniel Kovalcik (0-1) took the loss, throwing five innings and surrendering four runs. Robert Herrick threw 2/3 of an inning and allowed three runs, while Greg Butler served up two in the same span. Koessler closed matters for Navy, throwing 1 2/3 innings and allowing just one hit.
The Bison will host Mt. St. Mary's in a non-conference game on Wednesday before resuming the conference schedule next weekend with Lehigh at Depew Field.
Game 1 Navy 6 0 1 2 0 0 0 -- 9 11 2 Bucknell 0 0 2 0 0 1 4 -- 7 14 2Futrick, Curry (5) and Bunting, Barrett (7); Lange, Koessler (7), Nichols (7) and Silverman.
WP - Lange (2-1). LP - Futrick (2-1). Save - Nichols (2).
RBI - N: Ashinhurst, Temperilli, Thompson 3, Silverman, Munde 2, Lukevicz,
B: Moss, Walter 2, Mahony 2, Bunting. 2B - B: Bunting. N: Munde. 3B: - B: Moss.
HR - B: Walter (2).Team Records: Navy 7-18, 1-2 PL. Bucknell 11-7, 2-1 PL.
Game 2 Navy 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 -- 1 7 1 Bucknell 0 0 1 2 0 4 2 0 x -- 9 18 1
Nadler, Mittag (7) and Bunting; Kovalcik, Herrick (6), Butler (6), Koessler (7) and Silverman.
WP - Nadler (1-1). LP - Kovalcik (0-1). Save - Mittag (2).
RBI - N: Temperelli, B: Stoll 2, Hirschberg 2, Mahony 2, Capece 2, Bunting.
2B - B: Hirschberg. HR - N: Temperilli (3), B: Hirschberg (2).
Team Records: Navy 7-19, 1-3 PL. Bucknell 12-7, 3-1 PL.
