Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Lehigh (PL Tournament)
Bucknell Falls to Lehigh 5-2 in Patriot League Baseball Tournament
5/14/2005 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 14, 2005
WEST POINT, N.Y. - Kyle Walter and Chris Brannan each had two hits as the Bison baseball team fell 5-2 in the elimination game of the Patriot League Tournament, Saturday at Doubleday Field, in West Point, N.Y. The Bison produced a late inning rally, but came up short in their bid to play top-seeded Army in Patriot League Championships series. The Bison end the season at 16-26 overall.
Mountain Hawk hurler Kyle Collina made quick work of the Bison early on, retiring the orange and blue in order in the first inning. Collina and Bison pitcher Matt Curry were dueling for the second time this season, as the two faced each other during the teams' regular season series. Collina got the win in the first meeting, leading Lehigh to a 2-1 victory.
The Bison also came out of the opening inning unscathed, as Lehigh's Matt McBride reached on a single to right field but was gunned down trying to steal second by Bison catcher Phil Bunting.
Curry ended up with the loss, dropping to 4-6 on the season. Collina (6-5) earned his sixth win of the year, while teammate John Zaszewski earned the save (2).
Jason Buursma became the first Bison baserunner in the second inning, drawing a two-out walk. Buursma's time on base was short lived however, as Ryan Gryskevicz hit a grounder to Lehigh shortstop Liam O'Connor who nabbed Buursma at second for the third out of the inning.
Lehigh took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second as Mike Sandonato slammed a two-out single up the middle scoring Andy Smith. Mountain Hawk Nick Bet would also score in the inning, crossing the plate on a delayed steal attempt that would eventually take Sandonato out at second.
Kyle Walter notched the first base hit of the game in the fourth, hitting a sharp grounder to the right of the shortstop. Chris Brannan kept the inning alive, punching the ball through the left side. Buursma drew his second free pass of the game to load the bases for Gryskevicz who fouled out to the first baseman.
The Bison defense prevented another Mountain Hawk run in the bottom of the fourth, as Evan Weiss fielded a hard hit ball by Matt Geiger. Weiss threw to cut-off man Matt Capece who through a strike to Bunting to nab Andrew Smith, who was trying to score from first, at home.
Lehigh made the score 3-0 in the bottom of the fifth as Sandonato stole second and advanced to third on an error by Bunting leaving the ball in short center field. Walter overran the ball, allowing Sandonato to score on the second error of the play.
Buursma took the mound in the seventh, entering the game in the bases-loaded jam. McBride added to the Lehigh lead, slamming a single to center scoring two more runs and widening the gap to 5-0.
Capece slapped a two-out single to right in the top of the eighth. His base knock was the first given up by Collina since the Bison managed a pair of hits in the fourth inning. Capece would then score the first Bucknell run of the game, coming around to score on a hard-hit triple by Walter.
Brian Day kept the rally going, smacking a single through the left side to score Walter and make the score 5-2. Brannan notched the fourth-straight hit of the inning with a single to left, advancing pinch runner Chris Grandizio to second. Reliever John Zaszewski brought a the Bison charge to a halt, striking out Buursma to end the inning.
Smith led of the bottom of the eighth with a double to left center and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Matt Geiger. The Bison stopped the run of scoring, catching Smith in a run down for the second out of the inning. Tim Peacock entered the game in relief as the Bison escaped the inning without allowing a run.
Curry pitched 6.1 innings, giving up six hits and five runs. Collina gave up five hits and two runs in 7.2 innings of work, also striking out eight.
Lehigh moves on to play Army in a three-game series to decide the Patriot League Champion. The Mountain Hawks improved to 26-19-1 with the win over Bucknell.
