Bucknell University
Navy
Baseball Opens Patriot League Play with Two Losses at Navy
3/28/2015 8:14:00 PM | Baseball
ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Patriot League teams with the top winning percentages in pre-conference play opened their league schedules against each other Saturday when Bucknell and Navy met in a doubleheader at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium. The host Mids won both ends of the twinbill, capturing game one by a 4-2 score and the nightcap by a 7-1 margin.
Bucknell entered the weekend with the top winning percentage this season among Patriot League teams with a 14-7 record, while Navy was 16-9.
Game one was a matchup of two of the top pitchers in the Patriot League as senior righty Bryson Hough took the mound for the Bison, while junior lefty Luke Gillingham started for the Mids. Hough logged his first complete game of the season, but allowed four runs on eight hits and fell to 3-3 on the year. Gillingham improved to 4-1 as he allowed just three hits and two runs in 6.2 innings before giving way to Jett Meenach for the final out.
A single by Bucknell's Joe Ogren in the seventh inning against Gillingham plated Greg Wasikowski and brought cleanup hitter Jon Mayer to the plate representing the potential tying run, but Meenach was able to retire him to end the first game.
The Bison took the initial lead in the game when Aaron Fritz led off the top of the third inning with a double and later scored on a bases-loaded hit by pitch by Ogren.
Navy answered back with two runs in the bottom of the third with Robert Currie (RBI triple) and Leland Saile (RBI single) driving in runs.
The Mids extended their lead to 4-1 with two more runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Anthony Gingerelli, Ogren and Fritz accounted for Bucknell's three hits in game one. The Bison also drew four walks and two hit by pitches.
Navy jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first in game two and led 5-1 after three innings. The Mids received strong starting pitching from George Coughlin (4-1), who yielded just five hits and one run in 6.1 innings. Sam Sorenson and Colin Brady pitched a scoreless final 2.2 innings.
Xavier Hammond (3-1) allowed eight hits and six runs (five earned) in five-plus innings for Bucknell. Relievers Max Kra, Jack Schoenberger and Tucker Rekucki limited Navy to three hits and one run over the final three innings. Bucknell pitchers allowed just one unearned run despite three errors in the contest.
The Bison's lone run came in the top of the third when Tommy Pennington led off with a double and scored when Wasikowski singled him home. Brett Smith had a team-high two hits, while the bottom five hitters in the lineup had one hit apiece.
Bucknell and Navy will complete their series Sunday with two more games beginning at noon. Both contests will air live on the Patriot League Network.
