Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Army
Bucknell Baseball Salvages Split in Doubleheader Against Army
4/8/2007 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 8, 2007
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
LEWISBURG, Pa. - With a walk-off single by junior Shawn Hirsch (Morristown, N.J./Morristown) in the 10th inning of game two, the Bucknell baseball team salvaged a split in its Patriot League doubleheader against Army on Sunday afternoon on Depew Field, winning the second contest, 4-3, after falling in game one, 3-0. The Bison are now 11-13 on the season, 4-2 in league play, while the Black Knights sit at 9-13-1, 1-4 in the Patriot League.
The Orange and Blue started off game two with a 2-0 lead. Sophomore Dane Grandizio (Bloomsburg, Pa./Bloomsburg) began the bottom of the first with a single to center, moved to second on a sacrifice by freshman Ben Yoder (Belleville, Pa./Indian Valley) and came home on an RBI triple by junior Jason Buursma (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside School). Senior Ryan Gryskevicz (Dallas, Pa./Dallas) followed up with an RBI groundout to plate Buursma for the second run of the frame.
In their next turn at-bat, the Black Knights answered to cut their deficit to 2-1 as Chris Simmons was hit by a pitch and scored on an RBI single up the middle by J.P. Polchinski.
Bucknell took the run back in the bottom of the third. Yoder reached on a fielder's choice, advanced to third on a single by Buursma and scored on an RBI single to right by Gryskevicz.
However, Army fought back to level the score at three, posting one run in the sixth and another in the seventh. Kyle Stramara walked and came home on an error to pull within 3-2, and Andy Ernesto recorded the tying run as he began the seventh with a single up the middle and eventually crossed the plate on a wild pitch.
After stranding runners in the seventh, eighth and ninth, the Bison offense finally broke through in the bottom of the 10th. Gryskevicz reached with an infield single, sliding into first to beat the throw from Black Knights' shortstop Tony Capozzi. Then with two out, Rubbo walked to move Gryskevicz to second and bring Hirsch to the plate. Hirsch responded by knocking the game-winning hit through the right side of the infield, driving in Gryskevicz on the play.
Buursma picked up the win (3-1) in relief of senior Nathan Mittag (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield) for the Orange and Blue as he worked 3.1 innings and surrendered just one hit with one walk and five strikeouts. Matt Fouch took the loss (0-1) after working two-thirds of an inning for Army and giving up one run on two hits with one walk and no strikeouts.
In game one, Bucknell managed just one hit as Buursma spoiled Nick Hill's bid for a no-hitter with one out in the seventh. Hirsch was the only other Bison hitter to reach base in the contest, drawing a walk in the bottom of the third.
The Black Knights plated two runs in the third inning on a sacrifice fly by Milan Dinga that brought in Ernesto and on an RBI single to right field by Cole White, which scored Barnes Connell.
Army tacked on its third run in the fifth as Capozzi led off the inning with a single and came in on an RBI single by White.
Hill earned the win (3-3) for the Black Knights in a complete-game one-hit shutout effort, walked one and struck out 11. Curry suffered the loss (3-4) for Bucknell after working all seven innings and allowing three runs on eight hits with no walks and four strikeouts.
Grandizio, Gryskevicz and Buursma all finished the day with three hits for the Bison and each scored a run. Gryskevicz recorded two RBI, while Buursma and Hirsch tallied one apiece. For the Black Knights, White paced the squad with a 4-for-8 afternoon and two RBI.
Bucknell and Army will be back in action tomorrow, Monday, Apr. 9, as the second doubleheader of the four-game series set to begin at 1 p.m. on Depew Field.
