Bucknell University
Butler
Baseball Caps Spring Break Trip with 7-5 Win Over Butler
3/14/2015 3:52:00 PM | Baseball
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The Bucknell baseball team concluded its spring break trip to Florida Saturday with a 7-5 win over Butler. It marked the second straight victory over the Bulldogs for the Bison, who improved to 9-5 on the season and wrapped up their trip with a 4-3 record. Butler fell to 3-14 on the year.
Bucknell, which needed to overcome an early 4-0 deficit, scored all seven of its runs in the fifth inning and after. The Bison also received strong relief pitching from Andrew Andreychik, who entered the game two hitters into the sixth inning and allowed two hits, struck out three and was not charged with a run. It was his first relief outing since 2013.
Butler, which lost to the Bison 8-5 on Friday, took an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when it sent eight men to the plate against Bucknell starter Xavier Hammond. The Bulldogs had four singles and drew two walks. Hammond got out of the inning thanks to a double play.
Hammond settled down and allowed just one baserunner in the second, fourth and fifth innings. Butler did tack on a run in the third on an RBI single by Garrett Christman. Another double play helped Hammond end the inning.
After totaling three singles over the first four innings against Butler starter Chris Myjak, the Bison got on the board in the top of the fifth on an RBI double by Greg Wasikowski, who was one of four Bucknell hitters to record two hits in the game.
A two-run single by Mike Korchak in the sixth plated a pair of unearned runs and brought the Bison to within 4-3.
The Bulldogs knocked Hammond from the game in the sixth when the first two hitters reached and they scored their final run on a bunt by Drew Small.
Bucknell took its first lead in the top of the eighth when it scored three runs on three hits, a walk and an error. Joe Ogren, Jon Mayer and Danny Rafferty scored the runs.
The Bison added an insurance run in the top of the ninth on a Mayer home run with two outs.
Butler pinch hitter Nick Bartolone had a one-out single against Andreychik, but the junior retired the final two hitters to earn his first win of the season.
Mayer, Korchak, Mark Powell and Wasikowski had two hits apiece for Bucknell, which had 11 hits in the contest. It was the fourth consecutive game with double-digit hits for the Bison.
Bucknell will return to Pennsylvania and will commence a seven-game homestand on Tuesday with a 3 p.m. game against Saint Joseph's at Depew Field.
