Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Cornell
Bucknell Baseball Picks Up Pair of Wins Against Cornell
3/5/2006 7:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 5, 2006
•Box Score - Game 1
•Box Score - Game 2
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Sophomore Jason Buursma (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside School) went 5-for-7 with four RBI and three runs scored over two games on Sunday as the Bucknell baseball team collected 3-1 and 9-6 victories over Cornell in a doubleheader at Depew Field. With the pair of wins, the Bison improve to 3-4 on the season while the Big Red drop to 1-3.
In game one, Bucknell got on the board in the bottom of the first as senior Matt Capece (Bowie, Md./DeMatha Catholic) tripled to centerfield with one out then came home on a sacrifice fly by Buursma.
Buursma added two more RBI in the third inning with a two-out triple to right field that scored senior Brad Duvall (Hampstead, Md./Hereford) and senior Kyle Walter (Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg Area), who both reached with singles.
Cornell cut its deficit to two in the fourth after producing the run without a hit in the inning. Brian Kaufman drew a one out walk, stole second, advanced to third on the throw and scored on sacrifice fly by Domenic Di Ricco.
That would be all for the Big Red, however, as Bison starter Nathan Mittag (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield) pitched a strong seven innings to pick up the victory (1-1). He allowed just one unearned run on two hits with one walk and seven strikeouts in the complete game performance. Bryce Klinesteker started for Cornell and took the loss (0-1) as he threw five innings and allowed three runs on four hits with three walks and one strikeout.
After trailing 5-1 in game two, Bucknell rallied in the fourth and went on to win by a 9-6 margin.
Cornell took a 3-0 lead in the second when Scott Hardinger belted a two-run double to right center and later scored in the inning on a single to left by Brant McKown. The Bison took one of the runs back with a solo homer by Buursma to right in the bottom half of the inning, but the Big Red responded by scoring twice in the third.
Then in the Bucknell half of the fourth, the Orange and Blue began the inning with back-to-back singles by Buursma and senior Chris Brannan (Huntington Beach, Calif./Edison). With one out, sophomore Shawn Hirsch (Morristown, N.J./Morristown) doubled to right field to bring the pair home and senior Chris Grandizio (Bloomsburg, Pa./Bloomsburg) followed with a sacrifice fly to plate sophomore Chris Pieper (Port Washington, N.Y./Schreiber). Duvall and Capece completed the five-run rally by each knocking RBI singles, putting the Bison out in front, 6-5.
In the top of the fifth, the Big Red threatened to regain the lead, but with the bases loaded and one out, Seth Goodson flied out to center and Walter gunned down Ryan Michael at the plate to complete the double play. Walter later denied Cornell of another run as Jim Hyland was thrown out at home after attempting to score on a two-out single to center by Jimmy Heinz.
Bucknell added an insurance run in the fifth on a bunt single by sophomore Austin Turban (Northfield, Ill./New Trier) to plate Buursma and two more in the seventh as an errant throw by Gordon allowed Tuban and freshman Dane Grandizio (Bloomsburg, Pa./Bloomsburg) to score.
The Big Red managed a run in the eighth, but that would be all Cornell would get off the Bison hurlers over the final six innings. Freshman Sean Driscoll (Colts Neck, N.J./Christian Brothers) pitched three scoreless innings of relief as he allowed four hits and walked one on his way to his first collegiate win (1-0). Starter Ryan Gryskevicz (Dallas, Pa./Dallas) pitched four innings and allowed five runs, three earned, on seven hits with three walks and three strikeouts while Buursma threw the final two innings of the contest for Bucknell and allowed one run on three hits with one walk and one strikeout.
Blake Hamilton started the game for the Big Red and suffered the loss (0-1). He allowed six runs on nine hits with no walks and five strikeouts in 3.2 innings of work. Walker Toma relieved him and allowed three runs, one earned, off seven hits with no walks and two strikeouts.
Bucknell returns to action in one week when the team will begin its trip to Fresno, Calif., with a game against Fresno State on March 12 at 4 p.m., EST.
