Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Army West Point
Baseball Splits Doubleheader at Army West Point
4/9/2016 6:55:00 PM | Baseball
WEST POINT, N.Y. – Spencer Stokes was 4-for-4 with three RBIs and Andrew Andreychik pitched his first complete game of the season to lead the Bucknell baseball team to a 6-2 victory over Army West Point in game one of Saturday's doubleheader at Doubleday Field.
Jon Mayer hit a three-run homer and Sam Clark hit a solo shot and the Bison had the potential tying run at the plate in the top of the ninth, but the Black Knights earned a split of the twinbill with a 7-4 win in game two. Five Bucknell errors led to three unearned runs for Army West Point (11-19, 2-4 PL).
Stokes added a single in game two as he collected five of Bucknell's 16 hits in the two games. Clark was 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs in game one and he followed that with a 2-for-5 performance in game two, extending his hitting streak to a nine games, matching Brett Smith for team-high honors. Smith had a single in both ends of the doubleheader.
Bucknell (13-19, 4-2 PL) jumped out to a 4-0 lead in game one and then a two-run double by Stokes in the top of the seventh provided a couple insurance runs. Stokes had three singles and a double in game one. He also scored a run. He and Clark combined for six of the team's eight hits in the contest.
Andreychik (3-3) logged his 10th career complete game as he held Army scoreless until the sixth inning. He allowed just six hits and struck out six while walking just one. It was the 16th win of Andreychik's career, moving him into a tie for sixth on Bucknell's career wins list. He is tied with Eric Junge and former teammate Dan Weigel.
Army West Point starter Matt Ball (2-5) was the first of three pitchers used in the game by the Black Knights. He struck out eight and allowed seven hits in six innings of work.
In game two, Army West Point built a 3-0 lead with two runs in the fourth and one more in the fifth off Bison starter Mike Castellani. However, Mayer brought Bucknell back with one swing of the bat as his three-run shot in the sixth made it 3-3.
The Black Knights scored once more in the bottom of the sixth and another time in the seventh to go up 5-3. Clark cut the deficit in half with his second home run of the season in the top of the eighth, but Army added a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth as it scored at least one run in each of its last five at bats.
Clark did come to the plate in the top of the ninth representing the tying run, but Justin French got him to ground out to second to complete his fourth save of the year.
Castellani pitched five innings for Bucknell and reliever Jeff Gottesman (1-3) was on the mound for the final three innings. Both gave up seven hits. Castellani struck out three, while Gottesman had two.
Reliever Jacob Carte (2-3) earned the win for Army West Point. He yielded just two hits and one run in 2.1 innings.
The Bison and Black Knights will play another doubleheader Sunday at 1 p.m. at Doubleday Field.
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