Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
James Madison
Baseball Caps Weekend with 9-1 Win at James Madison
2/21/2016 7:00:00 PM | Baseball
HARRISONBURG, Va. – Sophomore Connor Van Hoose allowed just three hits and one run in seven innings of work in his first career start on the mound and the Bison offense had three multi-run innings as the Bucknell baseball team capped its four-game weekend series at James Madison with a 9-1 victory Sunday afternoon. The two teams split the series with Sunday's outcome being the widest margin of victory.
"Overall, I am proud of the attitude and effort we had this weekend," noted Bison fourth-year head coach Scott Heather. "We played hard all weekend and we saw a lot of positives from our first weekend of competition. There are many things we saw that we need to work on, but many to build on as well."
Bucknell's four starting pitchers this weekend combined for a 2.53 ERA during the series and none gave up more than two earned runs. Van Hoose (1-0) put together the latest impressive start. He struck out six and issued just two walks. He gave way to Christian Tailor and Jack Grabek, who pitched perfect eighth and ninth innings while adding three strikeouts to the team's tally.
Van Hoose, Tailor and Grabek combined to retire the final 20 hitters they faced. James Madison (2-2) did not record a hit after the second inning and did not have a baserunner after the third inning.
Brett Smith, Danny Rafferty and Spencer Stokes had two hits apiece to combine for six of Bucknell's nine hits in the contest. Leadoff hitter Smith and No. 2 hitter Rafferty were especially effective at the top of the lineup. Smith was 2-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI. Rafferty was 2-for-2 with two runs scored and one RBI, and he reached base four times overall thanks to a pair of walks.
The Bison scored in each of the first three innings, building a 5-1 lead in the process. Their first run came in the top of the first when Rafferty drew a one-out walk and later scored on a throwing error.
Bucknell plated two runs in the second on a pair of two-out RBI singles by Smith and Joe Ogren.
A leadoff double by Stokes in the third helped lead to two more runs. Luke Johnson followed with a sac bunt that featured a throwing error, allowing Stokes to score. Mark Powell then singled home Johnson.
The Bison then broke the game open in the sixth when they sent eight hitters to the plate and scored four runs. Smith and Rafferty both doubled in the frame, while Rafferty, Stokes and Johnson drove in runs. Smith also scored on a passed ball.
James Madison used five pitchers in the contest with starter Tucker McCoy (0-1) being tagged with the loss after allowing four hits, three walks and four runs in two innings of work.
The game did start about 90 minutes late due to rain in the area.
Bucknell will be on the road again next weekend when it plays a three-game set starting Friday at Tennessee Tech.
