Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Lafayette
Bison Complete Sweep of Lafayette with 3-0 Shutout in Game One, 7-2 Win in Game Two
4/24/2005 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 24, 2005
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Nathan Mittag and Ryan Gryskevicz earned wins on the mound as the Bison baseball team won their fifth and sixth-straight games, sweeping Patriot League foe Lafayette with 3-0 and 7-2 wins, Sunday at Depew Field. The wins move the Bison to 14-22 overall, 8-8 in the Patriot League. It was the first time the Bison have swept a Patriot League series since they blanked Lafayette in Lewisburg during the 2003 season.
The Bison went out to the early lead in the bottom of the first inning as Brian Day slapped a single to left scoring Kyle Walter. Bucknell added another run in the bottom of the second as Gryskevicz came home on a wild pitch by Leopard hurler Ted Gjeldum.
Brad Duvall led off the fifth inning with a single through the right side and advanced to second on a balk. Duvall would take third base on a throwing error by the pitcher and score on an RBI single by Walter to make the score 3-0.
Mittag (1-4) got his first win of the season in game one, allowing just six hits in his second complete game of the year. He is only the second Bison pitcher this season to throw a shutout. Lafayette's Gjeldum took the loss to fall to 3-2. At the plate, Matt Capece and Gryskevicz added two hits apiece.
Bucknell was also the first to strike in game two, scoring two runs in the top of the first. Evan Weiss led off the inning with a single through the right side and advanced to second on a balk. Weiss would move to third on a single by Capece. Weiss then scored on a passed ball as Capece advanced to second. Capece scored the second run of the inning on a single by Chris Brannan.
Lafayette, now 15-23, 3-9 PL, mounted a comeback in the top of the fifth, starting off a rally with two two-out singles by Frank Cortazar and Dave Drechsel. Cortazar would score on another single by designated hitter James Conrad. Rob Fioretti hit the fourth-straight single of the inning, knocking in Drechsel to knot the score at 2-2.
Bucknell broke the game open in the bottom of the seventh, scoring five runs to make the score 7-2. Weiss started the rally with a one-out single to center and scored on a double by Capece. Walter then singled to left to score Capece. Day added another single to move Walter to second and Brannan slammed a single to right center, scoring Walter. Jason Buursma would knock in the final two runs of the inning, slapping a single to center, scoring Chris Grandizio, who was pinch running for Day, and Brannan.
Gryskevicz moved to 2-1 on the season, giving up eight hits in eighth innings of work. Ian Rainey was clutch in relief, holding the Leopards hitless in the bottom of the ninth. Capece and Brannan led the team at the plate, both slapping three hits in the game. Lafayette's Tom Phelan took the loss to fall to 1-3 on the spring.
The Bison will play a single game against Towson at Depew Field on Tuesday, April 26, at 3:30 p.m. Bucknell will then head into its final PL series of the season, as they travel to Worcester, Mass., next weekend to take on Holy Cross.
