Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Holy Cross
Travis Clark Hits Three Home Runs in Bucknell Baseball's Doubleheader Split at Holy Cross
4/9/2011 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 9, 2011
WORCESTER, Mass. - Bucknell sophomore second baseman Travis Clark entered Saturday's Patriot League doubleheader at Holy Cross without a home run in 109 career at bats over the last two years. On Saturday at Fitton Field, he hit three solo home runs, including the go-ahead homer in the eighth inning of game two, helping the Bison baseball team to a split with the Crusaders. Holy Cross claimed game one by an 8-5 score, while Bucknell won game two by the same 8-5 margin.
Clark finished the day 4-for-7 with three home runs, three RBIs and three runs scored. Drew Constable also had a big day, going 4-for-8 from the leadoff spot after some lineup juggling from the Bison coaching staff.
Bucknell (13-18, 2-4 PL) won game two behind Clark's home runs, solid relief pitching from Alex Cillo (1-0) and four errors by the Crusaders, one of which led to a pair of ninth-inning insurance runs.
A one-out, sixth-inning double by Alex Maldanado tied the game-two score at 5-5 and knocked Bison starter Ryan Ebner from the game. Cillo entered and retired the final two hitters in the inning. He then permitted just one hit over the final three innings, holding the Crusaders without a run in the process. The only hit against him in his 3.2 innings was a two-out double in the ninth by Eric Oxford when Bucknell held a comfortable 8-5 edge. Cillo has not allowed an earned run in his last 18.1 innings of work and his ERA is now a team-leading 3.43.
With Cillo holding Holy Cross in check, that opened the door for Clark to be the hero. He hit his first home run of the game, and second of the day, leading off the top of the fifth inning. He followed that up with a home run to left center with two outs in the eighth inning off Andrew Boyce (1-1). It was the only hit Boyce allowed in his 2.2 innings of relief.
The Bison plated a couple insurance runs in the ninth when Scott Reed struck out for what appeared to be the final out of the inning. However, the ball was not caught cleanly by the catcher, Stephen Wadsworth. Wadsworth's throw to first to retire Reed hit Reed in the back, allowing Constable and Doug Shribman to score and make a ninth-inning comeback that much harder for the Crusaders.
Four of Bucknell's eight runs in game two came on home runs as Bob Donato hit a two-run shot in the fifth, three hitters after Clark. Reed also had an RBI double in the second and Matt Lamore drove home a run with a single in the same frame.
Ryan Ebner started for the Bison and the team improved to 6-1 in his starts this year despite him yielding six hits and five earned runs in 5.1 innings. Ebner struck out a career-high eight.
In game one, Oxford hit a two-run home run in the first inning and the Crusaders scored three unearned runs in the fifth as Bucknell never led. The Bison scored single runs in the second (Donato sac fly), fourth (Clark HR) and sixth (wild pitch allowing Gerry Runyan to score) before sending seven hitters to the plate and tallying two runs in the seventh, and final, inning. The contest ended with Clark at the plate with the bases loaded and one out, but he grounded into a game-ending double play.
Dylan Seeley (1-5) started on the mound for the Bison and tallied 4.2 innings, 11 hits, eight runs, five earned runs, three walks and one strikeout. Marcus Garone pitched the final 1.1 innings and allowed one hit and no runs. Overall, the Bucknell bullpen of Garone and Cillo on Saturday pitched 5.0 innings of shutout relief, yielding just two hits.
John Pedrotty (5-2) earned the win for Holy Cross (13-16-1, 1-5 PL), pitching 6.0 innings and allowing six hits and five runs while striking out seven.
Constable, Reed and Clark each had two hits in game one for the Bison, while leadoff hitter Jack Laurendeau and Wadsworth collected three hits apiece.
Bucknell and Holy Cross will meet in another doubleheader Sunday at Fitton Field. First pitch is slated for noon.
