Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Niagara
Weigel Pitches Bucknell Baseball to 4-3 Victory Over Niagara
3/4/2012 7:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 4, 2012
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell baseball sophomore pitcher Dan Weigel came two outs shy of recording his first career complete game as his strong pitching performance helped the Bison to a 4-3 victory over Niagara Sunday afternoon at Depew Field. Bucknell improved to 6-3 on the season, its best start since opening the 2004 campaign 8-3.
Making his third career start, Weigel pitched 8.1 innings, scattered eight hits and yielded just three runs while striking out three and not allowing a walk. He retired the first five hitters he faced and limited the Purple Eagles to two hits over the first four innings, one of which was erased on a double play.
Weigel, who is now 3-0 on the season with a strong 2.38 ERA, retired the leadoff hitter in seven of his nine innings. He allowed leadoff hits to Eric Hink in the fifth and seventh innings and both times Hink came around to score.
Bucknell entered the ninth inning leading 4-2 and Weigel retired leadoff hitter Wynton Bernard on an easy grounder to third. However, cleanup hitter Ryan McCauley followed with a solo home run to right field, knocking Weigel from the game. Alex Cillo came on in relief, and after walking Hink, struck out Jesse Harris and Jon Wilson to earn his second save of the year.
The Bison offense registered 12 hits in the contest as eight of the nine starters recorded at least one hit. Bob Donato, who is hitting a team-best .463 this year, was 3-for-5 with a run scored, while David Duffett and Scott Reed posted two hits apiece. Travis Clark extended his hitting streak to nine games with a two-run double in the first inning.
After a 1-2-3 top of the first by Weigel, Bucknell took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the frame. Donato led off with a hard hit single up the middle. He moved to second on a one-out single by Duffett and then both Donato and Duffett scored on Clark's double to right-center. Two batters later Reed plated Clark on a double of his own to right-center.
The Bison tacked on what proved to be a key insurance run in the third when Carter Bumgardner led off the inning with his team-high seventh double of the season. Duffett then knocked him in with a single up the middle.
Niagara (3-5) used four pitchers in the contest. Starter Joel Klock (0-1) suffered the loss as he yielded eight hits and four runs in 4.1 innings. Relievers Tyler Spear, Anthony Caringi and Geoff Soja limited Bucknell to four hits and no runs over the final 3.2 innings.
The Bison threatened to score more runs in the contest, but left 10 runners on base, seven of which were in scoring position. Thanks to two double plays by the Bucknell defense and just one walk by the Bison pitching staff, Niagara left four runners on base.
Clark concluded the game with a nine-game hitting streak, but he is not the only Bucknell player on a lengthy hot streak. Donato has a hit in eight straight games, while Gerry Runyan is on a seven-game hitting streak. Bumgardner has hit in five in a row.
The Bison won the season series from Niagara 3-1. Bucknell claimed two of three this weekend and captured an 8-4 decision on opening day two weeks ago.
The Bison will now be idle until next Sunday, March 11, when they open their seven-game Spring Break trip to Florida against Georgetown. Game time is 10 a.m. in Auburndale, Fla.
