Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Lafayette *
Lafayette Takes Two from Bucknell Baseball in First of Two Doubleheaders
4/17/2004 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 17, 2004
EASTON, Pa. - The Bucknell nine have started down a path that leads them in the opposite direction from the NCAA Tournament berth they earned last season, dropping both games of a doubleheader at Lafayette (15-17, 8-6 PL) on Saturday afternoon, 4-1 and 8-2, extending their losing streak to six games. The defeats put Bucknell (16-15, 6-8 PL) into a tie for third place and the last Patriot League Tournament berth.
Four players split Bucknell's hits in game one, while three Bucknell arms surrendered 10 Leopard knocks. Lafayette got on the board first in the second inning, courtesy of an Adam Bucci leadoff homer and an RBI single by Ian Law. Those were the only runs Bucknell starter Matt Daley (6-2) allowed in his four innings, but took the loss with the lack of offense from his teammates.
Bucknell earned its run in the fourth with Kyle Walter's fifth home run of the season, but the Leopards got to reliever Tim Peacock with one run in both the fifth and sixth innings. Adam Rosenberg provided an RBI single to put Lafayette ahead 3-1, and Craig Alexander completed the scoring with a solo home run. Peacock allowed six hits in 1 2/3 innings pitched. Matt Curry came on for Bucknell and recorded the final out. Lafayette's Marcus Ward went all seven innings allowing just Walter's home run and striking out five.
Ben Stoll was the only player with two hits in the same game for the Bison, recording both in the nightcap, while the Leopards found open turf nine times in the second game. Lafayette's first two runs came in the third with RBI from Rob Fioretti and Jason Boyd, while Bucknell halved the lead in the fifth with Brian Hirschberg's third home run of the season.
But Lafayette nullified Bucknell's run with one of its own in the bottom half of the fifth on a Jeff Rodgers RBI single. The Leopards added five more in the seventh, keyed by a two-run Bucci homer and a two-RBI triple from Rosenberg. The seventh was the last for Bucknell starter Kevin Miller (2-4), who gave up eight runs with just three earned on nine hits and five strikeouts. Marc Cussatt threw the last inning and allowed just a walk. Miller's counterpart, Brian Cope, went the complete nine and allowed six hits with two runs and fanned 10 Bison.
The two squads will have another doubleheader tomorrow in Easton, Pa.
Game 1 Bucknell 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 -- 1 4 1 Lafayette 0 2 0 0 1 1 x -- 1 10 1Daley, Peacock (5), Curry (6) and Bunting; Ward and Alexander.
WP - Ward (4-1). LP - Daley (6-2). RBI - B: Walter;
L: Rosenberg, Bucci, Alexander, Law.
HR - B: Walter (5); L: Bucci (4), Alexander (2).Team Records: Lafayette 14-17, 7-6 PL. Bucknell 16-14, 6-7 PL.
Game 2 Bucknell 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 -- 2 6 2 Lafayette 0 0 2 0 1 0 5 0 x -- 8 9 1
Miller, Cussatt (8) and Bunting; Cope and Alexander.
WP - Cope (1-1). LP - Miller (2-4). RBI - B: Hirschberg, Moss;
L: Rodgers, Fioretti, Boyd, Rosenberg 2, Bucci 2.
2B - L: Fioretti. 3B: - L: Rosenberg. HR - B: Hirschberg (3); L: Bucci (5).Team Records: Lafayette 15-17, 8-6 PL. Bucknell 16-15, 6-8 PL.
