Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Holy Cross
Bucknell Baseball Splits Doubleheader at Holy Cross
4/21/2007 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 21, 2007
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
WORCESTER, Mass. - Junior Jason Buursma (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside School) set a new program record with his 15th career save, helping the Bucknell baseball team to a 4-2 win in game one against Holy Cross on Saturday. The Bison dropped game two, however, 6-5, and are now 14-20 on the season, 6-8 in the Patriot League, while the Crusaders are currently 8-18 overall, with a 5-7 mark in league play.
In the opening contest, the Orange and Blue jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. With one out, freshman Ben Yoder (Belleville, Pa./Indian Valley) doubled and scored the first run of the game on an RBI single by senior Ryan Gryskevicz (Dallas, Pa./Dallas). Then with two away, junior Mark Angelo (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown) singled through the right side and junior Austin Turban (Northfield, Ill./New Trier) drove in both runners with an RBI single to right field.
Holy Cross managed to get on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth as Brendan Akashian led off with a single and Andrew Tenaglia ripped a single down the right field line to bring him in.
The Bison took back the run in the top of the sixth as junior Ed Rubbo (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge) was hit by a pitch, moved to second on an error and later scored on an error.
In the bottom of the frame, the Crusaders added a second run on a homer by Tyler Stampone, but Buursma relieved Bucknell starter Matt Curry (Towanda, Pa./Towanda) and quelled the rally, ending the threat with a double-play ball.
Curry worked 5.1 innings and allowed two runs on five hits with three walks and one strikeout to pick up the victory (4-5) for the Orange and Blue. Buursma pitched 1.2 scoreless innings to record his fifth save of the season. For Holy Cross, Scott Hampe pitched all seven innings and took the loss after surrendering four runs, three earned, on eight hits with three walks and four strikeouts.
In game two, the Crusaders scored five times in the bottom of the third to take a 5-0 lead. With two away in the inning, Jake Gorman doubled down the left field line to bring in Matt Perry, who reached on a fielder's choice. Norm Roth walked to load the bases and Akashian capped off the flurry with a grand slam to centerfield.
In the top of the fourth, Gryskevicz walked, moved to second on a wild pitch, went to third on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch to put Bucknell on the board. The Bison then added another run in the following inning as Rubbo singled to left, advanced to third on a double by junior Shawn Hirsch (Morristown, N.J./Morristown) and came home on an RBI groundout by freshman Ben Allen (Port Royal, Pa./Juniata).
Holy Cross stretched its advantage back out to four in the bottom of the sixth. Akashian, the first batter of the inning, was hit by a pitch and scored on an error.
Bucknell continued its fight to erase its deficit in the top of the seventh. Three straight singles by Turban, Rubbo and Hirsch loaded the bases for Allen with no outs and he responded by driving a bases-clearing double to right center. But one run short of tying the score, the Bison rally ended as Kevin Beglane relieved Dan Seip and escaped any further damage.
Seip earned the win (3-3) for the Crusaders as he worked six innings and surrendered five runs on nine hits with one walk and two strikeouts. Mike Thater threw a scoreless ninth, giving up one hit and recording two strikeouts to register the save (2). Senior Nathan Mittag (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield) pitched all eight innings for the Orange and Blue and suffered the setback (0-5). He surrendered six runs, five earned, on five hits with one walk and three strikeouts.
Allen finished with four RBI on the day to pace the Bison offense and went 2-for-6 at the plate in the doubleheader, while Rubbo was 3-for-6 at the plate and scored three runs.
Bucknell will be back in action tomorrow, Sunday, Apr. 22, for its second doubleheader at Holy Cross, beginning at noon on Fitton Field.
