Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Penn State
Bucknell Baseball Suffers Extra-Inning Loss at Penn State, 7-6
4/18/2013 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 17, 2013
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. –One day after defeating Towson in walk-off fashion in extra innings, the Bucknell baseball team lost in the same scenario Wednesday at Penn State. The Nittany Lions' Elliot Searer knocked a one-out, bases loaded single to center in the bottom of the 12th inning to lead Penn State to a 7-6 extra-inning victory over the Bison at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
Bucknell (13-24) had won four in a row and was looking for its first win over Penn State (8-24) since 1998. The Bison led 6-4 entering the bottom of the ninth, but the Nittany Lions tied the score and forced extra innings. The 12-inning game marked the longest of the season for Bucknell, which is now 2-4 in extra-inning contests.
Travis Clark was 2-for-5 with an RBI for the Bison, extending his hitting streak to 10 games. Robb Scott was also 2-for-5, while State College native Scott Glass also had a pair of hits. Carter Bumgardner drove in a pair of runs to boost his team-high total to 23.
Bucknell used four pitchers in the game. Starter Jack McLinden and relievers Jonathan Lucas, Tucker Rekucki and Marcus Garone yielded just 11 hits, but issued 12 walks to Nittany Lion hitters. Rekucki struck out a career-high five in his 2.1 innings of work. McLinden made his third start of the year and pitched into the sixth inning. He exited with a 3-1 lead, but two runners were in scoring position.
The Nittany Lions took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the sixth, but Bucknell went back on top with three runs in the eighth inning. A bases-loaded walk by Corey Furman, an RBI ground out by Clark and an RBI single by Bumgardner staked the Bison to a late 6-4 lead.
Bucknell still held a 6-4 advantage heading into the bottom of the ninth. However, the first three hitters reached against Rekucki, who had retired five in a row entering the frame. Garone entered with the bases loaded and none out. He walked the first hitter to make it a one-run game. The senior right-hander then got Tyler Kendall to ground into a double play, but the tying run came across the plate, forcing extra innings.
The Bison had just one hit after their three-run eighth inning. However, they did have one runner on base in the ninth, 10th,11th and 12th innings thanks to hit by pitchers. Penn State pitchers hit seven Bucknell batters.
Neither team had a serious threat to score in the 10th or 11th innings. Penn State's winning rally began when Garone (1-1) issued a one-out walk to Aaron Novak. J.J. White followed with a single that advanced Novak to third. An intentional walk to James Coates loaded the bases prior to Searer's game-winning hit.
Penn State used seven pitchers in the game. Tim Dunn (1-1) earned his first win of the year.
Bucknell will return to Patriot League play this weekend when it hosts Army in a four-game series at Depew Field. Doubleheaders will begin both days at noon. All four games can be heard live on SportsJuice.com.
