Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Navy
Bucknell Baseball Clinches Playoff Berth with Doubleheader Sweep of Navy
4/29/2006 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 29, 2006
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Head coach Gene Depew picked up his 450th career win as the Bucknell baseball team took both games from Navy by the scores of 3-0 and 10-8 in Patriot League action at Depew Field on Saturday afternoon. The Bison improve to 22-21 overall with the pair of victories, 12-6 in league play, and secure a spot in the Patriot League Tournament, while the Midshipmen drop to 29-20-1 on the year, 7-11 in the Patriot League.
In game one, Bucknell plated a run in the bottom of the first to jump in front, 1-0 as senior Matt Capece (Bowie, Md./DeMatha Catholic) walked and scored on a RBI single to right by junior Ryan Gryskevicz (Dallas, Pa./Dallas). Then in the third, Capece reached on an error and came home on a double steal play, making it a 2-0 advantage.
The Bison later added their third run of the contest in the bottom of the sixth when Gryskevicz singled, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on an error. Gryskevicz finished game one 3-for-3 at the plate with an RBI and a run scored. Senior Kyle Walter (Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg Area) logged the only other hit of the contest for the Bison while Capece scored two runs.
Junior Matt Curry (Towanda, Pa./Towanda) threw five shutout innings in game one and picked up the victory (3-6), scattering six hits with no walks and three strikeouts. Sophomore Jason Buursma (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside School) relieved him and allowed one hit in two scoreless innings of work with no walks and one strikeout to earn the save (7). Mitch Harris pitched all six innings for Navy and suffered the loss (9-3). He let up three runs, one earned, on four hits with three walks and three strikeouts.
The Midshipmen managed to get on the board first in game two with three runs in the opening inning. Renaldo Hollins and Jonathan Johnston reached base with back-to-back walks, Jared Munde reached on an error, and a bases loaded walk to Joshua Martinez forced in Hollins. Johnston then scored on a fielder's choice and Ryan McGinn drove in Martinez with a single through the left side for the final run of the inning.
Bucknell answered with a run in the bottom half of the frame as Capece singled to right center, went to third on a single by Gryskevicz. The Orange and Blue then once again successfully executed the double steal, with Capece crossing the plate on the play. The following inning, the Bison tied the score at three after senior Chris Grandizio (Bloomsburg, Pa./Bloomsburg) singled and scored on an error and Capece plated senior Brad Duvall (Hampstead, Md./Hereford) with a bunt single.
Navy responded with a run in the fourth and two in the sixth, climbing back on top, 6-3. Bucknell cut its deficit to two in the seventh with Walter knocking an infield single, moving to third on a single by Buursma and scoring while Buursma was caught in a rundown on yet another double steal attempt.
The Mids stretched their advantage out to three, bringing the score to 7-4 with a run in the top of the eighth, but the Bison rallied with an offensive outburst of six runs on five hits in the bottom of the inning to jump on top, 10-7. Sophomore Chris Pieper (Port Washington, N.Y./Schreiber) led off with a single and classmate Shawn Hirsch (Morristown, N.J./Morristown) drove him in with a double to right field. The next batter, Grandizio, reached on an error that allowed both runners to move into scoring position and Duvall helped the Orange and Blue creep to within one with an RBI single to right. Capece then tied the score with a sacrifice fly that brought home Grandizio and Walter was intentionally walked. Gryzkevicz followed and gave Bucknell its first lead of the game with a double that plated Duvall and Walter after both runners advanced to second and third on a passed ball. Buursma then traded places with Gryskevicz as his RBI double produced the 10th and final Bison run.
Navy threatened to make a comeback in the ninth. The first two hitters, Dominic Lopez and Michael Garcia, reached with a walk and a fielder's choice. B.J. Bickel singled to left, and with two out, Johnston walked to load the bases for Munde. Munde reached on an error that scored Garcia, bringing the Midshipmen to within two with the tying runs in scoring position. However, that would be all as Buursma escaped any further damage by getting Martinez to pop out in foul territory to end the game.
Senior Ian Rainey (Littleton, Colo./Littleton) earned the win (1-0) for Bucknell. He relieved starter Jacob Moss (Fresno, Calif./San Joaquin Memorial) and worked 3.2 innings, allowing three runs on six hits with one walk and one strikeout. Buursma closed out the game to record his second save (8) of the day. He pitched the ninth and gave up one unearned run on one hit with two walks and no strikeouts. Ryan Hefner took the loss (4-3) after allowing four unearned runs on three hits with one walk and no strikeouts in two thirds of an inning.
Pieper batted 3-for-5 in game two with a run scored to lead the Bison hitters. Gryskevicz went 2-for-5 at the plate with two RBI and a run scored, Capece finished the contest 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored, Buursma hit 2-for-4 with an RBI and Hirsch was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Walter went 1-for-4 in the game, recording his 207th career hit, which moved him past 2004 Lehigh graduate Jesse Novalis for seventh all-time in Patriot League history.
Bucknell and Navy will return to action tomorrow, April 30, with the second doubleheader of the weekend series. Game one is set for noon at Depew Field.
