Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Holy Cross
Bucknell Baseball Wins Series against Holy Cross with Sunday Doubleheader Sweep
4/13/2008 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 13, 2008
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell baseball squad rode clutch performances by senior Mathew Wilson (Toronto, Ontario/Northern S.S.) and sophomore Ben Yoder (Belleville, Pa./Indian Valley) to a doubleheader sweep of Holy Cross on Sunday afternoon on Depew Field. Wilson fanned 11 batters in a complete game shutout effort as the Bison defeated the Crusaders, 3-0, in game one, while Yoder registered a walk off single in the bottom of the ninth in game two, leading the Orange and Blue to a 7-6 victory in that contest. Bucknell, which is now 7-1 at home this season, moves to 17-16-2 overall, 7-5 in league play, while the Crusaders fall to 14-19 and 7-5 in the Patriot League.
In his first outing in nearly a month, Wilson opened game one by striking out the side, stranding two Holy Cross base runners, who recorded two of the team's four hits in the contest in the top of the first. The right-handed hurler then followed up by fanning all three batters he faced in the second.
The Bison got on the board in their next turn at-bat as sophomore John Avanzino (Manhasset, N.Y./Manhasset) led off with his ninth home run of the season.
Bucknell added two more insurance runs in the sixth as senior Jason Buursma (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside School) and Avanzino both walked with one out, setting up a two-run double by junior Dane Grandizio (Bloomsburg, Pa./Bloomsburg) that scored Buursma and junior Hunter George (Ross, Calif./The Branson School), who pinch ran for Avanzino.
Wilson, who equaled the program career shutouts record with his fourth as a member of the Orange and Blue, scattered just four hits over seven innings of work to pick up the win (2-1), with one walk and a career-high 11 strikeouts. Matt O'Brien pitched all six innings for Holy Cross and suffered the setback (0-3), allowing three runs on fourth hits with four walks and four strikeouts.
The Crusaders began game two with a run on two hits in the top of the first. Jake Gorman doubled to left center and later crossed the plate on a wild pitch.
In the bottom half of the frame, however, the Bison promptly took the run back with a solo shot by Yoder, his first career home run. Bucknell then went on top, 3-1 in the second. With two down in the frame, sophomore Andrew Brouse (Kreamer, Pa./Midd-West) knocked in seniors Mark Angelo (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown) and Chris Pieper (Port Washington, N.Y./Schreiber), who preceded him with back-to-back one out singles.
Holy Cross responded with a three-run third to pull in front by a 4-3 margin. Gorman and Brendan McCrea started things off with two straight singles. Then with one out, Eric Oxford ripped a double down the right field line to plate the pair. Nick Ciardiello followed up with an RBI groundout to bring home Brendan Akashian, who walked earlier in the frame.
Bucknell managed to tie things up at four in the bottom of the fifth as Brouse doubled and came home on a fielder's choice, with Yoder picking up the RBI on the play. The Orange and Blue then went ahead on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Ben Allen (Port Royal, Pa./Juniata) in the seventh that scored senior Shawn Hirsch (Morristown, N.J./Morristown) after Hirsch began the inning with a leadoff single.
In the top of the eighth, the Crusaders fought back to even the score at five. With two outs, a single by Billy Cupelo and an RBI double by McCrea yielded the tying run. Holy Cross added another in the top of the ninth for a 6-5 advantage. Akashian started off the inning with a walk and Oxfo
The Bison rallied for two in the bottom of the ninth to take game two by a 7-6 margin. The first batter of the frame, Hirsch, reached with an infield hit, and was replaced by a pinch runner, George, at first. Pinch hitting for Brouse, sophomore B.J. LaRosa (Jacksonville, Fla./Episcopal) advanced George to second with a ground out. Allen and Yoder followed with the game-tying and game-winning singles, Allen bringing home George and Yoder plating Allen with a single up the middle.
In relief of freshman Dylan Seeley (Shavertown, Pa./Wyoming Seminary), senior David Solan (Newark, Del./Newark) recorded the victory (1-2), tossing 1.1 innings for the Orange and Blue and allowing one run on two hits with one walk and two strikeouts. Ryan George took the loss (2-3) for the Crusaders. He gave up three runs on five hits with three walks and three strikeouts over four innings on the mound.
Brouse finished a team-best 3-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored for Bucknell in game two, while Allen went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored and Yoder hit 2-for-5, drove in three and scored once. Oxford paced Holy Cross' offense with a 3-for-5 performance and three RBI.
The Bison will continue their nine-game homestand on Thursday, Apr. 17, against Penn State Erie at 3:30 p.m.
