Bucknell University
Navy
Yoder Home Run, Strong Pitching Lead Bucknell Baseball to Doubleheader Sweep of Navy, 1-0 & 7-4
4/18/2010 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 18, 2010
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Dylan Seeley pitched his first career shutout and Ben Yoder hit a solo home run in the fourth inning, leading Bucknell to a 1-0 victory over Navy in the first game of a doubleheader Sunday afternoon at Depew Field. The second game featured more offense as the Bison scored six runs in the first four innings of a 7-4 victory that helped them finish the four-game weekend series 3-1. Three Bucknell relievers combined to pitch four scoreless innings to seal the win.
Bucknell (17-23, 6-6 Patriot League) received solid pitching all day, starting with Seeley's (3-3) masterful performance in game one. He recorded his first complete game of the season and notched his first career shutout, giving up six hits and walking three while striking out four. He faced only one over the minimum through four innings of play.
More strong pitching followed in game two. After yielding three runs on two hits and a walk in the first inning, game two starter Jack Boehm (4-2), who tied fellow Illinois native Trey Frahler for the team lead with four wins, allowed just three hits and one run to the Navy hitters over his final four innings. He gave way to the bullpen in the sixth and Marcus Garone, Michael Dallanegra and Matt Lamore did not allow a run over the final four innings. Lamore was particularly effective, retiring the final seven hitters he faced to pick up his first career save.
All told, the Mids managed just four runs and 12 hits against the Bison pitching staff on Sunday. They were retired 1-2-3 in five of their 16 at bats.
While Seeley was strong in game one, his counterpart Ben Nelson, had just as good of a performance. Nelson gave up just three hits and faced only two hitters over the minimum in his six innings of work. However, Yoder's one-out, fourth-inning home run over the right-field fence proved to be the difference in the game.
Ben Allen, who was later erased on a double play, and Drew Constable, who was caught stealing, collected Bucknell's other hits in the game. Yoder also walked as he accounted for half of the Bison's four baserunners in the contest.
Navy did have some chances to tie the score in the latter innings of game one, but Bucknell's defense and pitching came through. After a leadoff single in the fifth, Alex Azor was gunned down trying to steal second. A walk and a single later in the inning made it first and second with two outs, but pinch hitter Jonathan Wright grounded back to Seeley, who tossed to first to retire the side.
The Mids had runners on first and third in the sixth with one out, but could not score then either as Mike Hoosier hit a chopper to third base, which David Duffett fielded. Rather than trying to turn an around-the-horn double play to end the inning, he fired home and got Andrew Hahn trying to score. Seeley then got Azor to fly out to end the inning.
Kendall Bolt and pinch hitter Jonathan Berkowitz posted back-to-back singles in the seventh, but Seeley coaxed a double play out of Nick Driscoll to end the game and clinch at least a tie in the four-game weekend series.
Navy (23-16, 4-8 PL) scored three runs in the top of the first inning of game two, but plated just one more the rest of the way. The Bison, meanwhile, scored at least one run in each of the first four innings to take a 6-3 advantage. Two of the runs scored on sacrifice flies, while Ben Allen had an RBI triple in the second and Drew Constable and B.J. LaRosa posted RBI singles. Andrew Brouse also drove in a run with a fielder's choice in the first inning.
The Bison had a 6-4 lead in the seventh and plated an unearned insurance run. Drew Constable, who was 3-for-5 in game two and had four hits total on the day, led off the seventh with a single and moved to second on a fielder's choice. Pinch hitter Travis Clark then hit a grounder to third, but Bolt's throw to first sailed high, allowing both runners to move up a base. Duffett followed with his second sacrifice fly of the game. Overall, three of the Bison's seven runs scored on sac flies.
LaRosa, Yoder and Bob Donato also had two hits in game two as seven of the nine Bucknell starters collected hits off three Navy pitchers. Yoder has now hit in a team-high seven consecutive games.
After Bucknell touched starter Wes Olson (2-4) for seven hits and five runs in 3.1 innings, it tallied just five hits and one earned run off relievers Jeff Murdza and Tyler Mapes. Mapes was especially effective, yielding three hits and one walk in 3.2 innings of work.
Bucknell's 1-0 win in game one marked its first victory by that score since it defeated Army 1-0 in the 2008 Patriot League Semifinals en route to its Patriot League title and NCAA berth.
The Bison have a busy week ahead with a doubleheader at St. Bonaventure on Tuesday and a single game at Depew Field on Wednesday against Maryland Eastern Shore. First pitch for the home game is 3:30 p.m.
