Bucknell University
Maine
Four-Run Eighth Inning Propels Baseball to 6-3 Win Over Maine
3/15/2016 10:41:00 PM | Baseball
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – Max Kra (1-0) pitched 2.2 innings of shutout relief to earn his first win of the year as he helped keep Maine in check while the Bison offense scored four runs in the top of the eighth inning on the way to a 6-3 Bucknell victory over the Black Bears Tuesday afternoon at Chain of Lakes Stadium. The Bison improved to 6-8 on the year as they captured their first win on their spring break trip to Florida. Maine fell to 4-12.
Dan Keller started on the mound for Bucknell and logged 6.1 innings. He allowed just seven hits and three runs while striking out five. He departed after allowing a go-ahead solo home run to Brenden Geary. Kra came in with the Bison trailing 3-2 and allowed just three baserunners over the next 2.2 innings.
Trailing 3-2, Bucknell sent eight hitters to the plate and scored four runs in the eighth inning. Mark Powell led off the frame with a double. Joe Ogren and Spencer Stokes had RBI doubles in the inning, while Aaron Fritz and Tommy Pennington posted RBI singles. Stokes' pinch hit double scored pinch runner Chuckie Scales with the go-ahead run.
Powell and Ogren were both 2-for-5 in the game, while Clark was 2-for-3. That trio, which hit consecutively in the lineup, combined for half of Bucknell's 12 hits.
The Bison scored their first run in the fourth inning on a two-out RBI single by Alex O'Neill, who leads the team with a .385 batting average this season.
An RBI single by Clark in the top of the sixth gave Bucknell a brief 2-1 lead before Maine scored single runs in the sixth and seventh innings.
Bucknell scored a pair of unearned runs in the game as the Black Bears committed five errors in the contest.
Starter Justin Courtney (1-2) suffered the loss for Maine. He allowed doubles to Powell and Ogren in the eighth before giving way to the bullpen. He gave up eight hits and three runs (two earned) with three strikeouts.
There were just two walks issued in the game and neither starting pitching walked a hitter in a combined 13.1 innings of work.
Bucknell will wrap up its spring break trip to Florida Wednesday with a 3 p.m. game against Dartmouth.
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