Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Northwestern
Bucknell Baseball Ends Florida Trip on High Note with 10-6 Win Over Northwestern
3/17/2012 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 17, 2012
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - 2011 Patriot League Pitcher of the Year Ryan Ebner earned his first win of 2012, Bob Donato extended his hitting streak to 15 games and Bucknell used a five-run fourth inning to propel itself to a 10-6 victory over Northwestern Saturday afternoon at Chain of Lakes Park. The win helped the Bison end their seven-game Florida trip on a positive note.
Bucknell (8-8), which won its first and last games of the trip, score two runs in the first, five in the fourth and three more in the eighth. The Bison never trailed and their biggest innings came as answers to the Wildcats. Northwestern (5-11) plated two runs in the bottom of the third and Bucknell answered with five in the top of the fourth. The Wildcats then scored three in the bottom of the seventh and the Bison answered with three more in the top of the eighth.
Gerry Runyan and Russell Seidell were both 3-for-5, while Donato was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and a sacrifice fly. He has hit in 15 consecutive games following the season opener. Overall, the Bison out-hit the Wildcats by a 15-8 margin. It was the fifth time this season Bucknell has recorded at least 15 hits in a game.
Ebner (1-3) had his best outing of the season as he pitched 6.0 innings, and allowed just three runs, only two of which were earned. He yielded five hits and walked five, but was able to limit the damage as Northwestern advanced at least one runner into scoring position in four of his six innings.
The Wildcats first got on the board in the third on a bases-loaded hit by pitch and then an error. They scored again in the sixth when Hamilton Wise reached on a two-out single to center and then scored on a double by Kyle Ruchim.
Marcus Garone and Bryson Hough combined to retire only one of the six hitters they faced in the seventh after relieving Ebner as Northwestern closed the Bison lead to 7-6. Alex Cillo then came in and got out of a two on and one-out jam and finished out the game to earn his third save of the year. Cillo allowed just one baserunner in his 2.2 innings and that was on an error. He has not allowed a run in his last four outings (7.2 IP) and his season ERA is now a team-best 2.45.
Bucknell got on the board in the top of the first when Donato led off with a single and later scored on a two-out single by Runyan. Two batters later Matt Lamore knocked in Runyan with a single.
The Bison then sent 10 hitters to the plate in the fourth inning that was keyed by a leadoff single off Runyan's bat. Five of the first six hitters in the frame reached base. Seidell recorded an RBI single, Travis Clark had a two-run single and Donato drove home a run on a sac fly, all against starter Luke Farrell, who was pulled after 4.0 innings of work.
With its lead down to one (7-6), Bucknell tacked on three insurance runs for Cillo in the eighth. A leadoff walk by Corey Furman, followed by a Donato single got things started. Clark walked to load the bases with one out and Runyan followed with a single to knock reliever Jack Quigley from the game after one-third of an inning. A ground out by Scott Reed and a wild pitch led to the final two runs and Bucknell reaching double figures for the fifth time this season.
The Bison also closed out their 2010 Florida trip with a win against the Wildcats, who were forced to use five pitchers on Saturday.
Bucknell will travel back to Pennsylvania on Sunday. The Bison will next be in action Tuesday, March 20, when they play a single game at Mount St. Mary's at 3 p.m.
