Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Mount St. Mary's
Bucknell Baseball's Offense Explodes in 22-9 Win at Mount St. Mary's
3/18/2009 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 18, 2009
EMMITSBURG, Md. – Andrew Loucks (Mississauga, Ontario/Appleby College) tied the Bucknell single-game record with six hits and the Bison pounded out 24 hits and scored all of their runs in the fourth inning and later as they defeated Mount St. Mary's 22-9 in baseball action Wednesday afternoon. Bucknell (6-9) erased an early 5-0 deficit and plated 10 runs in the fifth inning en route to its sixth win in its last eight outings.
Bucknell's 22 runs were one shy of the program record established in 1987 against Juniata, while the 24 hits were two short of the program record that also came against Juniata in 1987. The 42 total bases were the most in program history, while the 21 total runs batted in matched the program record.
Loucks, who was 0-for-1 in his only at-bat prior to the fourth inning, had four singles and a pair of doubles in his final six plate appearances. He scored three runs and drove in four others as he tied Vic Cegles' 40-year-old hit record.
Each of Bucknell's nine starters had at least one hit. Doug Shribman (Marblehead, Mass./Belmont Hill) was 3-for-4 with four runs scored and three RBIs. He also reached base two other times via a walk and a hit by pitch. Bret Sokirka (Wyoming, Pa./Wyoming Area) also registered three hits in five at-bats, leading to one run scored and a pair of RBIs.
Mount St. Mary's (2-7) jumped out to a 5-0 lead thanks to three home runs in the first three innings. Matt Staso hit a solo home run in the first, while Kyle Kane and Shane Eyler each hit two-run shots off Bison starter Sean Driscoll (Colts Neck, N.J./Christian Brothers Academy).
Bucknell, which scored 12 unanswered runs, got on the board with an unearned run in the fourth thanks to a one-out double by Loucks.
The Bison then exploded for 10 runs in the fifth as 15 hitters came to the plate. At one point, nine consecutive hitters reached base via a hit, walk or hit by pitch. Two of Bucknell's four home runs came in the frame as Dane Grandizio (Bloomsburg, Pa./Bloomsburg) hit a solo shot and Ben Allen (Port Royal, Pa./Juniata) connected on a two-run home run. Patriot League Rookie of the Week Bob Donato (Williamsport, Pa./Williamsport), who was 1-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored, also had a two-run double.
Bucknell scored one run in the sixth and two more in the seventh before plating five more in the eighth. A two-run double by Loucks and a two-run home run by Zachary Brown (Stroudsburg, Pa./Notre Dame) highlighted the eighth inning. It was the second home run of the year for Brown, who also hit one last Thursday against Vermont.
Shribman smacked a two-run home run in the ninth, capping the scoring for the Bison.
Patriot League Player of the Week Andrew Brouse (Kreamer, Pa./Midd-West) extended his hitting streak to nine games with a 1-for-3 showing. He also knocked in a run, giving him a team-high 22 RBIs this season. Ben Yoder (Belleville, Pa./Indian Valley) stretched his hitting streak to eight games with a 2-for-5 day.
A total of eight home runs were hit in the game by eight different players with both teams connecting on four.
Driscoll pitched the first four innings for the Bison and was followed by five relievers who pitched one inning apiece. Chris Yamaguchi (Lincroft, N.J./Middletown South) was credited with his second win of the year as he pitched a scoreless fifth inning. Alex Cillo (Williamsport, Pa./Loyalsock Township) and Russell Seidell (Granville, Ohio/Granville) hurled perfect seventh and ninth innings, respectively.
The Mount also used six pitchers with each one yielding at least one run. Starter Brett Moore (1-2) was shouldered with the loss after allowing seven runs, seven hits and four walks in his 4.2 innings.
Eyler, who was a triple short of hitting for the cycle, was 4-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBIs for Mount St. Mary's, which totaled 12 hits in the game.
Bucknell did not have a hit in the first three innings, and just two through four frames.
The Bison will open their home schedule this weekend with a four-game series against Canisius. The series opens with a single game Friday at 3 p.m. at Depew Field.
Brouse, Depew Part of College Baseball Foundation National All-Star Lineup
The College Baseball Foundation and Diamond Sports announced this week's National All-Star Lineup on Wednesday and Bison head coach Gene Depew and junior Andrew Brouse were included. Depew was recognized for winning his 500th career game last week, while Brouse hit .423 and drove in 17 RBIs in six contests last week. Brouse was also named the Patriot League Player of the Week, Damon's Bison Athlete of the Week and ECAC Player of the Week.
