Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Georgetown
Baseball Defeats Wake Forest to go 1-1 on Opening Day
2/14/2015 8:52:00 PM | Baseball
Game 1: Georgetown 8, Bucknell 5
Game 2: Bucknell 16, Wake Forest 12
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – After seeing its four-game weekend shrunk down to two games thanks to frigid weather, the Bucknell baseball team kicked off its 2015 season Saturday at Wake Forest Baseball Park and came away with a 1-1 record. The highlight of the day was a 16-12 victory over the host Demon Deacons that featured 19 hits and two home runs for the Bison. Bucknell opened the day with an 8-5 loss to Georgetown.
The win over Wake Forest was the first for the Bison over a current ACC member since perhaps the biggest victory in program history, a 7-0 shutout of Florida State in the 2008 NCAA Regionals.
Bucknell (1-1) pounced on the Demon Deacons (2-1) early with 13 runs in the first three innings. The Bison led 5-0 after the top of the first and 13-2 following just two-and-one-half innings of play. The top of Bucknell's lineup did most of the damage as the first four hitters all posted at least three hits and the first five registered multi-hit games.
Leadoff hitter Brett Smith was 3-for-5 with three runs scored, while No. 2 hitter Anthony Gingerelli was 3-for-5 with four runs and one RBI. Joe Ogren (3-for-5, 3 R, 2 RBI) and Jon Mayer (4-for-5, 2 R, 4 RBI) combined to hit 7-for-10 in the No. 3 and 4 holes, while Danny Rafferty had two hits and drove in four runs from his five spot in the lineup.
The bottom of the lineup provided some pop as well with freshman DH Mike Korchak and senior SS Greg Wasikowski, the eighth and ninth hitters in the lineup, hitting the first two home runs of the season for the Bison when they went back-to-back in the third inning.
Eight of Bucknell's nine starters had at least one hit and seven different players drove in at least one run in the Bison's highest scoring output since a 16-10 win at Navy in 2013. Bucknell totaled eight extra-base hits and forced Wake Forest to use six different pitchers with none logging more than 2.2 innings.
The Bison batted around in the first and third innings and held that 13-2 advantage into the sixth inning when the Demon Deacons plated six runs. Bucknell extended its cushion back out to 16-8 with three runs in the top of the ninth, two of which came on a two-out Mayer double.
Wake Forest was able to push four runs across in the bottom of the ninth. Tucker Rekucki came on and retired three of the five hitters he faced to end the game.
Bryson Hough (1-0) earned the win for the Bison. He pitched the first five innings and allowed five hits and two runs while striking out five. Dan Keller, Korchak and Mike Castellani also saw time on the mound for Bucknell.
Wake Forest starter junior Garrett Kelly (0-1) shouldered the loss for the Demon Deacons. He lasted just two hitters into the second inning.
In the first game of the day, Georgetown plated seven runs in the fourth inning and built an 8-0 lead before the Bison chipped away at it. Bucknell scored four in the bottom of the sixth inning and one more in the ninth.
Gingerelli and Ogren both had two hits against the Hoyas, while five different players drove in one run apiece.
Andrew Andreychik (0-1) started on the hill for the Bison and pitched into the fourth inning. Xavier Hammond (3.0 IP) and Jordan Holtz (2.1 IP) also made appearances out of the bullpen.
Bucknell ended up hitting .342 in the two games Saturday. Gingerelli (5-for-9), Ogren (5-for-10) and Mayer (5-for-10) each hit at least .500 and combined for eight of the team's nine doubles.
The Bison will return south next weekend when they play a three-game series at UNC Greensboro. The teams are scheduled to meet for one game Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
