Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Navy
Bucknell Baseball Splits Doubleheader With Navy
4/7/2012 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 7, 2012
| BUY PHOTOSLEWISBURG, Pa. - Senior third baseman David Duffett recorded three RBIs to lead the Bison to a 3-2 victory over Navy in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday. Duffett sealed the victory for the Bison with a game-winning single up the middle in the bottom of the 10th inning. Bucknell senior pitcher Alex Cillo recorded the win, striking out five batters in 4.0 innings of relief to improve his record to 2-0 on the year.
Bucknell, now 15-16 overall and 2-4 in the Patriot League, dropped the second game of the afternoon by a score of 3-2. Navy (13-17, 1-5 PL) strung together a strong seventh inning including a double, a triple, and a sacrifice fly to give it a lead that it would not relinquish.
The Bison recorded seven hits in each game, for a total of 14 on the day. The Bucknell pitching staff recorded 13 strikeouts on the day, with nine of those coming during the first game. Bucknell's starting pitchers allowed just four runs in 14.0 innings on the mound during the doubleheader.
Game one was scoreless until the top of the fourth inning when Navy's lead-off batter, Chris Campbell, hit a double into right field. Campbell was able to advance to third on a fly-out by Dylan Wheeler. A fielding error by Bucknell third baseman, Duffett, put Navy on the scoreboard.
A number of defensive mistakes by Navy gave the Bison the opportunity to strike back in the bottom of the sixth inning of the scheduled seven-inning contest. Navy pitcher, Ben Nelson, walked lead-off batter Robb Scott and a subsequent fielding error put Bob Donato on second, advancing Scott to third. Duffett stepped up to the plate and sent a two-base hit into left field, scoring both Scott and Donato for two of his three RBIs on the day.
Cillo entered the game for starting pitcher Dan Weigel in the top of the seventh inning, looking for his sixth save of the year. Cillo walked two batters at the start of the inning and a hit by Dave Milanes brought in the tying run for Navy. Despite a rocky start to the seventh inning, Cillo proceeded to strike out five batters in four innings. The two walks and one hit in the seventh inning were the only ones he allowed for the remainder of the game, as he retired the final 10 hitters he faced.
With Cillo's pitching keeping Navy off the scoreboard during the extra innings, Bucknell needed just one solid stretch of offense to close out the game. This came in the bottom of the 10th inning when pinch hitter Carter Bumgardner sent a double into left field. Corey Furman, who substituted for Donato in center field for defense in the seventh inning, followed Bumgardner's double with a bunt that put him on first and advanced Bumgardner to third. Duffett then sent a single up the middle to score Bumgardner and give the Bison the victory.
Even though the Bison came away with the victory, the Midshipmen pitchers put forth a great effort, allowing just seven hits and three runs in the 10-inning game. Combined, they struck out eight batters, with reliever Joel Rinehart recording four strikeouts in just 2.2 innings pitched.
Weigel allowed zero earned runs in the game and his ERA on the season is now a stellar 2.47. Cillo has a solid ERA of 3.28. Duffett now has 24 RBIs on the season, just one behind team-leader Donato, who has 25.
Despite the loss in extra innings, Navy came out to a quick start in the second game of the afternoon at Depew Field. Following a lead-off walk by Azor, Nikolai Simonsen singled to right field, moving Azor to third. A fielder's choice got Simonsen out at second for the first out of the inning, but Azor scampered home, putting Navy on top of Bucknell 1-0.
Bison second baseman Travis Clark got the Bucknell offense in motion at the bottom of the fifth when he hit a lead-off triple that would roll all the way to the center field wall. This hit gave Clark a team-high of three triples on the season. A ground-out by Colby Vanderbeck brought Clark home.
The Bison continued their offensive drive in the bottom of the sixth. Donato reached first base on balls and a sacrifice bunt by Duffett sent him to second. A single into right field by designated hitter, Matt Lamore, allowed Donato to score a run and gave Bucknell a 2-1 lead over Navy. Lamore is now hitting .310 for the season.
Navy, however, struck back immediately by scoring two runs at the top of the seventh inning. Bucknell looked to have a chance at a rally in the bottom of the seventh inning when first baseman Russell Seidell singled to left-center field and then advanced to second base on a wild pitch. The next batter, Scott, walked, bringing up the Bison's best hitter, Donato (.401 avg), with two men on base. Donato, however, popped out to Navy's shortstop and the Bucknell rally was halted.
Neither team scored in the final two innings and Navy avenged their loss to Bucknell earlier in the day. Bison starter Bryson Hough struck out four batters, bringing him to a total of 20 for the season. Hough has an ERA of 3.58. Clark and Seidell recorded two runs apiece in the Bucknell loss, bringing their season totals to 35 and 20, respectively.
The Bison face the Midshipmen again Sunday in another doubleheader at Depew Field. The first game is scheduled to begin at noon.
