Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Navy
Bucknell Baseball Takes One of Two Against Navy
4/28/2007 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 28, 2007
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Junior Jason Buursma (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside School) tossed a complete game shutout in his first collegiate start as the Bucknell baseball team blanked Navy, 7-0, in front of a crowd of 1,267 at Max Bishop Stadium on Saturday afternoon in the opening end of a Patriot League doubleheader. The Bison dropped the second contest 7-1, however, and are currently 15-23 overall, 7-11 in the league, while the Midshipmen sit at 31-18 overall, 11-7 in league contests.
After both hurlers struck out the side in the first inning of game one, Bucknell managed to jump on the board in the top of the second after junior Mark Angelo (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown) led off with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice by classmate Chris Pieper (Port Washington, N.Y./Schreiber) and Austin Turban (Northfield, Ill./New Trier) drove him in with an RBI single to left center.
With two away in the fifth, senior Ryan Gryskevicz (Dallas, Pa./Dallas) singled and Angelo walked. The next batter, Pieper, knocked in both runners with a double to deep left, bringing the score to 3-0.
Then in the top of the sixth the Bison plated four more. With one out, junior Shawn Hirsch (Morristown, N.J./Morristown) doubled to center and scored on an RBI single up the middle by freshman Ben Allen (Port Royal, Pa./Juniata). Following a two-out walk to freshman Ben Yoder (Belleville, Pa./Indian Valley), Gryskevicz doubled in Allen and Yoder and later crossed the plate on an error for the final run.
Buursma worked all seven scoreless innings for the Orange and Blue and scattered five hits with one walk and five strikeouts to pick up the win (4-1). Navy starter Mitch Harris took the loss (7-4) after surrendering seven runs, six earned, on eight hits with five walks and eight strikeouts.
In game two, the Mids took 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Michael Garcia began the frame with a single to right and Thomas Hamilton doubled to left to drive him in. After Harris reached on an error, Jonathan Berkowitz singled to right to plate Hamilton.
Navy stretched its advantage to 5-0 in the second inning. Garcia singled with two out, Renaldo Hollins walked and Hamilton knocked in Garcia with a single. Harris followed and drove in the next two runs with a single to center.
Bucknell trimmed its deficit to four with a solo home run to right center in the top of the fifth, but the Midshipmen took the run back and added another in the sixth with a two-RBI single by Hollins that scored Michael Speciale and Steven Soares.
Senior Matt Curry (Towanda, Pa./Towanda) threw all eight innings for the Bison and suffered the loss (4-6) after allowing seven runs on 11 hits with two walks, while matching his career high with eight strikeouts. Navy's Mark McCoy pitched a complete game as well and earned the win (7-4). He allowed one run on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
Gryskevicz went 3-for-7 on the day with two RBI and two runs scored to pace the offense for the Orange and Blue while Pieper and Buursma both were 2-for-4.
Both teams will be back in action tomorrow, Sunday Apr. 29, at Max Bishop Stadium, with game one of the doubleheader beginning at noon.
