Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Lehigh
Bucknell Baseball Splits Doubleheader with Lehigh on First Day of Weekend-Long Series
4/14/2012 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 14, 2012
| BUY PHOTOS
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell baseball team bounced back from an 8-1 loss against Lehigh in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader to defeat the Mountain Hawks by a score of 11-5 in the second game. The doubleheader was the first of two in the weekend-long series held at Depew Field. Prior to the game, Bucknell head coach Gene Depew was honored for his 31 years as the head of the Bucknell baseball program. This will be his last season as head coach, and he will retire as the winningest coach in Bucknell athletic history.
The doubleheader split brought Bucknell to a 4-6 record in Patriot League play and a 17-19 record for the season. Lehigh is now 3-7 in the Patriot League and 14-24-1 for the season.
Despite falling in the opener, a strong final inning in game one gave the Bison momentum coming into the second game of the afternoon when Bucknell put together nine innings of strong hitting to accompany the solid performance of its pitching staff. Shortstop Robb Scott had the hot hand for the Bison in the nightcap, going 4-for-4 during the second game of the afternoon with two triples and two singles. It was Scott's first four-hit game of his career. Scott was 5-for-7 during the doubleheader and he is now hitting .326 for the year.
Starting pitcher Bryson Hough (2-5) earned his second win of the year for the Bison. In his last four games, the freshman has pitched 30.1 innings and allowed just 24 hits and 10 earned runs. He pitched 6.1 innings of Saturday's second game, striking out four batters. His ERA for the year is now 3.68 as he welcomed the offensive explosion behind him after receiving four runs of support his last three outings.
Alex Cillo relieved Hough and got the save, giving him a team-high six for the year, a figure that is tied for fourth on the program's single-season list. His nine career saves is fifth on that ledger.
Left fielder Colby Vanderbeck also hit well for the Bison in game two, going 3-for-4 with four RBIs. Three of his RBIs came on an inside-the-park home run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning. The homer, the second of his career, stretched Bucknell's lead to 10-4.
Designated hitter Carter Bumgardner also drove in three runs for the Bison. Center fielder Bob Donato had an RBI as well to boost his total to a team-high 30 for the season.
The 17 hits by the Bison during this game were the most since their 17-hit outing against Georgetown on March 11. Bucknell's 11 runs were also the most it has scored since the mid-March game against the Hoyas when it scored 18 runs.
Bucknell seemed to be off to a good start earlier in the afternoon during the first inning of game one when Donato reached first after being hit by a pitch and David Duffett singled through the left side. A throwing error by the Lehigh pitcher advanced the runners to second and third, but the Bison were unable to score as Donato was thrown out at home following a fly ball hit by Gerry Runyan.
During the first game of the afternoon, Lehigh's starting pitcher Cory Kent (2-3) gave up just five hits. Kent pitched a complete seven-inning game and recorded seven strikeouts. He struck out the side in the bottom of the fifth inning, catching each batter looking.
In addition to its pitching, Lehigh's offense also proved formidable in the opener. The Mountain Hawks hit two home runs during game one, the first coming in the top of the fourth inning when second baseman John Elson hit a three-run shot to left field. The second was a solo home run by right fielder Casey Turner in the top of the sixth inning that hit off the batter's eye wall in center field.
Dan Weigel started game one for Bucknell and logged 5.0 innings and gave up seven hits and six earned runs as he suffered just his second loss of the year against a team-high six victories.
Despite Lehigh's strong pitching and active offense, Bucknell was finally able to get on the scoreboard at the bottom of the seventh inning. Bucknell catcher Scott Reed doubled to center field and then pinch runner Matt Busch scored when first baseman Russell Seidell grounded out to first. Unfortunately, this last-inning effort was not enough to overcome Lehigh's eight-run lead.
Following the victory in Saturday's second game, the Bison look to continue their outstanding hitting on Sunday when they face Lehigh in another doubleheader at Depew Field. The first pitch is scheduled for noon.
