Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Navy
Bucknell Baseball's Season Comes to an End with 6-0 Loss at Navy in Game Three of PL Semifinal Series
5/15/2011 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 15, 2011
ANNAPOIS, Md. - Top-seeded Navy scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning and received a combined nine shutout innings from starter Wes Olson and reliever Preston Gainey as the Mids won the deciding game three in the Patriot League Baseball Semifinal Series, 6-0, over fourth-seeded Bucknell Saturday afternoon at Max Bishop Stadium.
The Bison, who finished their 2011 campaign with a 25-28 overall mark, captured a thrilling 1-0 16-inning marathon in Saturday's game one, while Navy (31-22-1) won Saturday's game two by a 6-1 margin.
Bucknell, the defending Patriot League Tournament champion, had won the 2008 and 2010 postseason titles as the No. 4 seed.
Navy, which will host second-seeded Army in next week's Patriot League Championship Series, batted around in the first inning and scored its four runs thanks to five singles and a walk against Bison starter Trey Frahler (2-7). Greg Dupell, Alex Azor, Jeff Bland and Kash Manzelli each posted RBI singles in the frame that featured five of the first six Mids reaching base.
Frahler departed one batter into the second inning and the Bucknell bullpen was strong, yielding just two runs and five hits in the final seven innings. Matt Lamore, who started the game at designated hitter, was particularly effective, allowing just one hit and one run on a fourth-inning sac fly while pitching a season-high 5.0 innings.
Seniors Daniel Hart, Eric Jarrett and Steve Carlin combined to pitch the final two innings. A leadoff single in the seventh came around to score, but overall the trio of Bison veterans kept Navy in check.
Bucknell managed just five hits against Olson and Gainey with Doug Shribman and David Duffett each going 2-for-4. A senior, Shribman ended his career with an 11-game hitting streak. He also became just the sixth player in program history to reach the 200-hit plateau, finishing with 201 in his career.
The only inning that the Bison had more than one person reach base was the sixth when Bob Donato drew a two-out walk, which was followed by singles from Shribman and Gerry Runyan. Unfortunately, Shribman was thrown out at third base on Runyan's single, ending the frame. Duffett then led off the seventh inning with a single, meaning three of Bucknell's five hits came in succession.
Olson (7-1) pitched 6.0 shutout innings and allowed five hits as he joined Navy's Saturday starters Ben Nelson and Sam Long with strong performances. That trio combined to log 25.0 innings and allow just 14 hits and one run while striking out 19 in the series. Overall, the Mids' pitching staff limited the Bison to just two runs and a .159 batting average in the three-game series.
Gainey pitched the final 3.0 innings for Navy, facing the minimum nine hitters, to earn his third save of the year.
Sunday's contest marked the final game in the careers of Bison seniors Carlin, Drew Constable, Frahler, Hart, Jarrett, Dylan Seeley and Shribman. The class helped bring three total Patriot League titles to Lewisburg and contributed more than 100 victories to the program's all-time total. Six of the seven seniors saw action in Sunday's contest. Only Seeley, who has pitched more innings than anyone in program history, did not play, but he was Saturday's game two starter.
Bucknell is now 22-19 all-time in Patriot League Tournament contests.
