Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Army
Mayer Continues Hot Hitting as Baseball Completes 3-1 Weekend with Doubleheader Split vs. Army
4/12/2015 6:56:00 PM | Baseball
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Jon Mayer was 6-for-8 with one home run, nine RBIs and two runs scored in a Sunday doubleheader split with Army that saw the Bison complete a strong 3-1 weekend against the Black Knights. Mayer was 4-for-4 and drove in seven runs in a 14-1 win in game one, while Army claimed game two by a 10-8 score despite repeated comebacks by the Bison.
Mayer, who had the game-winning walk-off single in game one of the series on Saturday, caught 35 of the 36 innings during the weekend and hit .588 (10-for-17) with one home run, 12 RBIs and three runs scored in the four games. His season average jumped from .208 to .265 during the weekend and he is now tied for the team lead in RBIs with 26.
Mayer was the offensive catalyst in the big game one victory Sunday at Depew Field, which was seeing its most spring-like temperatures of the season. His four RBI singles helped the Bison reach double figures in runs for the first time in more than a month and the 13-run margin of victory equaled their largest of the season. Mayer came one RBI shy of equaling the school record.
The entire Bucknell (18-16, 4-8 PL) lineup produced in game one as it totaled 16 hits one game after pounding out a season-high-tying 19. Joe Ogren was 4-for-4 with four runs scored and one RBI, while Anthony Gingerelli, Spencer Stokes and Greg Wasikowski had two hits apiece.
The top four hitters in the Bison lineup scored 12 of the team's runs, while all nine starters reached base at least once.
Bucknell scored all 14 of its runs in the first four innings, including five in the first and four in the fourth. The Bison batted around in the first inning and sent at least seven hitters to the plate in each of the first four frames.
While Bucknell starter Andrew Andreychik (3-4) certainly appreciated the run support, it turned out he did not need it. The junior allowed two doubles in the top of the first as Army (16-17, 4-8 PL) took an early 1-0 lead, but he then retired 16 in a row until Ben Smith reached on an error leading off the seventh inning. Andreychik, who struck out eight, then retired the next three in a row to post his third complete game of the season as his ERA dipped to 2.55.
Jeremy Mortensen (2-3) earned the start for the Black Knights and he allowed 12 runs and 12 hits in 3.2 innings. He walked four and struck out three.
After starting pitchers logged the majority of innings over the first three games of the weekend series, Sunday's second game featured the bullpens. Bucknell starter Mike Castellani pitched just three innings and four relievers were used, while Army starter Patrick Gardner lasted just four outs and three relievers were used after him.
The game was close throughout as Army scored a pair of runs in five different innings, while the Bison also scored in five different frames.
The Black Knights capitalized with two outs as they had two-out, two-run singles by Johnny Griffith, Alex Jensen and Mark McCants in the second, third and fourth innings, respectively, to open a 6-4 lead.
Bucknell's first run came on a leadoff homer in the second by Mayer followed by a pair of sacrifice flies. The Bison then scored a single run in the third when Gingerelli led off with a double and later scored on a passed ball.
An infield hit by Ogren with two outs in the bottom of the fifth narrowed the Bucknell deficit to 6-5. Ogren grounded the ball to third and his hustle down the line enabled him to beat the throw as Wasikowski crossed home plate.
Army, though, stretched its lead back to 8-5 in the sixth as it capitalized on a throwing error on a bunt. The final three runs the Black Knights scored in the game were unearned.
The Bison did not give up and clawed back to within 8-7 with two more runs in the seventh. Brett Smith led off the frame with a hit by pitch and Gingerelli followed by lining a single to left. Jon Mayer followed with a two-out single to plate Smith, while Danny Rafferty had a two-out double to drive home Gingerelli.
Army scored a pair of much-needed insurance runs in the top of the ninth, capitalizing on two Bison errors.
Instead of facing a one-run deficit in the ninth, Bucknell came to bat for the last time down 10-7. The Bison were able to load the bases with just one out, but their only run in the frame came on a sac fly by Rob Krentzman, who had three hits on the day. The final out was recorded with the tying run at first base.
Justin French (2-1) earned the win for Army as he pitched 5.1 innings of relief and allowed seven hits and four runs (three earned). He struck out four and walked one. Griffith, who moved from second base to pitcher for the final two innings, earned his third save despite running into some control problems in the ninth.
Max Kra (1-2), Tucker Rekucki, Connor Van Hoose and Mike Stephens came on in relief of Castellani. Van Hoose looked strong in his three innings of work as he allowed just one hit and struck out three. He retired the final eight hitters he faced and the only batter to reach base against him was called out on a double play.
Both teams finished with 11 hits in the nightcap.
Bucknell dominated the weekend series as it outscored Army 34-14 and posted a .379 batting average, compared to .215 for the Black Knights. The two teams are tied for fifth place in the Patriot League standings, easily within striking distance of securing a top-four finish and a berth in the Patriot League Tournament.
The Bison will play a Wednesday game at Penn State before resuming Patriot League play with a home series vs. Lafayette next weekend. All four games will be played and Depew Field and can be heard on 90.5 WVBU and BucknellBison.com.
