Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Penn State
Penn State Powers Past Bucknell Baseball, 14-6
4/25/2006 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 25, 2006
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Senior Kyle Walter (Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg Area) batted 3-for-4, moved into second on the program's career hits list and took over the career doubles record, but the Bucknell baseball team suffered a 14-6 setback against Penn State on Tuesday afternoon at Beaver Field. With the loss, the Bison sit at 20-21 overall on the year and the Nittany Lions move their record to 14-25.
The Orange and Blue jumped on the board with a run in the top of the first as sophomore Chris Pieper (Port Washington, N.Y./Schreiber) singled and scored on an double by Walter. Walter's double brought his season total to 17 and gave him sole possession of the Bucknell career record with 45.
However in the bottom half of the inning, the Nittany Lions plated two with two out. Brian Ernst knocked a leadoff single and came home on a double to left center by Lance Thompson. Aaron Greenfield followed and drove in Thompson with an RBI double for the team's second run.
Penn State added two more runs with two out in the bottom of the second. Joe Blackburn doubled and came around to score on an error and Ernst walked and crossed the plate on an error.
The Bison cut their deficit to one with two in the third inning. Senior Chris Grandizio (Bloomsburg Pa./Bloomsburg) walked and Walter brought him in with an RBI single. Then, senior Matt Capece (Bowie, Md./DeMatha Catholic), who reached base with a single, scored on double play ball.
In the bottom half of the inning, the Nittany Lions stretched their lead to five with four runs on four hits and one error.
Bucknell climbed to within three with two runs in the fourth. Freshman Zachary Brown (Stroudsburg, Pa./Notre Dame) was hit by a pitch and came home on a fielder's choice. With one out in the inning, junior Ryan Gryskevicz (Dallas, Pa./Dallas) drove in Capece with a sacrifice fly, but Penn State took one of the runs right back in the bottom half of the frame and added another two in the fifth and three in the seventh, bringing the score to 14-5.
The sixth run for the Orange and Blue came across in the eighth inning when Pieper was hit by a pitch and scored on an error. Pieper finished the contest 3-for-4 at the plate with an RBI and two runs scored was the only Bucknell player other than Walter with multiple hits.
Walter's single in the eighth marked another milestone for the Bison centerfielder. The hit was the 205th of his career, moving him into second all-time in the program record books and eighth in Patriot League history, passing 2001 Bucknell graduate Ian Joseph who finished his career with 204.
Freshman Andy Campbell (Mill Valley, Calif./Marin Catholic) suffered the loss (3-2) for the Bison. He allowed seven runs, five earned, on eight hits with two walks and no strikeouts in 2.1 innings of work. Steve Cline earned the victory (1-1) for the Nittany Lions, pitching three scoreless innings and allowing two hits with no walks and no strikeouts.
Bucknell returns to action this Saturday and Sunday with its final series of the regular season. The first of two home doubleheaders against Patriot League foe Navy is set for Saturday April 29, at noon on Depew Field.
