Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Lafayette
Bucknell Baseball Takes One of Two Against Lafayette
4/5/2008 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 5, 2008
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
EASTON, Pa. - The Bucknell baseball team was edged by Lafayette, 1-0, in game one, but salvaged a split in Saturday's Patriot League doubleheader by winning game two, 10-2, at Kamine Stadium. Following the day's action, the Bison sit at 14-12-2 overall and 4-2 in league play, while the Leopards are currently 13-10 and 2-4 in the PL.
Bucknell began game two with a 4-0 lead. In the top of the first, junior Dane Grandizio (Bloomsburg, Pa./Bloomsburg) reached on a fielder's choice sacrifice bunt and later came in on a wild pitch. The Bison scored another in the second with senior Austin Turban (Northfield, Ill./New Trier) leading off the frame with a walk, while senior Ed Rubbo (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge) plated him with an RBI groundout. Then with two out in the third, senior Mark Angelo (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown) blasted a solo home run to right field, his first of his career, and senior Jason Buursma (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside School) reached on an error and scored on an error.
Lafayette took one of the runs back in the bottom of the third as Rob Froio tripled and was driven in with a single by Daniel Bierce. The Leopards added their second run of the contest in the fifth to pull within 4-2. Froio led off with a single up the middle and scored on a single to center by Joe Ezekiel.
After three scoreless innings, Bucknell broke the game open with six runs on four hits in the top of the ninth. With one away in the frame, sophomore Ben Allen (Port Royal, Pa./Juniata) singled and sophomore Ben Yoder (Belleville, Pa./Indian Valley) followed with a walk. Grandizio plated Allen with a single down the left field line for the first run of the frame, while Buursma drove in Yoder with an infield hit. With two out and the bases loaded, Turban blasted a grand slam to right field, bringing the score to 10-2.
Freshman Eric Jarrett (Jersey Shore, Pa./Jersey Shore) earned the win for the Bison to improve to 4-2 on the year, allowing two runs on 12 hits with three walks and no strikeouts in eight innings of work. Jeremy Atkins suffered the loss (2-2) for Lafayette. He surrendered four runs, three earned, on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
Grandizio and Angelo led Bucknell at the plate in game two, both going 2-for-4, each with an RBI and two runs scored.
Despite a stellar pitching performance from Buursma the Orange and Blue dropped the opener, 1-0.
The Leopards managed the only run of the contest in the first inning. Bierce lofted a one-out double to right field and later scored on an RBI groundout by Tom Ambrosole.
Bucknell's best chance to score came in the top of the fifth with three straight singles by Rubbo, Allen and Yoder. However, Lafayette hurler Kevin Reese escaped the jam with an inning-ending ground ball off the bat of Grandizio.
Buursma posted a career-high nine strikeouts with no walks and surrendered one run on just three hits in a complete game effort, but was charged with his first loss of the season (4-1) and his first loss to a Patriot League opponent in 21 career appearances. Reese picked up the victory (3-2) for the Leopards, logging the complete game shutout with no walks and six strikeouts.
The teams will square off again tomorrow, Apr. 6, with the first game of a doubleheader beginning at noon at Kamine Stadium.
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