Baseball Completes Sweep of Niagara

Saturday, March 2

Lewisburg, Pa.

12 p.m.

Bucknell University

2-6

Niagara

1-8

Niagara

Bucknell

Photo by: Marc Hagemeier

3/2/2019 7:39:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

LEWISBURG, Pa.—The Bucknell University baseball team picked up where it left off on Friday with two outstanding pitching performances as Bucknell completed the sweep against Niagara on a cold and chilly afternoon of baseball at Depew Field in a Saturday afternoon doubleheader.

The Bison mustered 34 runs over the weekend, including 20 over the two games on Saturday while allowing just five hits all weekend.

Bucknell improves to 3-6 overall, while Niagara falls to 1-9 on the season.

Bucknell's last sweep of a three-game series came on April 7, 2018 at home vs. Lafayette.

Game One: Bucknell 7, Niagara 1 (7)
A closely contested contest through the early stages was broken open by a five-run fourth inning by the Bison. The scoring was led by two two-RBI singles from Tyler Wincig and JohnPaul Bell and a bases-loaded walk from Evan Madigan in support of starter Jeff Gottesman, who carried a no-hitter through 5.1 innings of a seven inning contest.

With neither team mustering a hit through the first three innings, the Bison finally exploded for five runs on a single from Tyler Wincig that scored PJ Strahm and Evan Madigan.

After Dominic Toso walked and a pitching change for the Purple Eagles, JohnPaul Bell delivered a single to right field that scored Wincig and Luke Hartman to extend the Bison lead to 4-0. Evan Klugerman was plunked by a pitch to load the bases before another pitching change by the Purple Eagles. Madigan, who scored on Wincig's single early in the inning, earned an RBI of his own after drawing the walk to score Bucknell's final run of the inning.

Bucknell added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth after Wincig reached on a hit by pitch before being brought home on a triple by Toso. Toso was then brought home by another RBI by Bell, who doubled to give the Bison a 7-0 advantage.

Niagara got a run back in the sixth after Max Giordano broke up Gottesman's no-hitter with one out in the sixth. Cole O'Connor singled to left field to score Benny Serrano, who reached earlier on a walk. However, Gottesman worked himself out of the inning with a 7-1 lead which was more than enough for reliever Hunter Robichaux, who didn't allow a hit in an inning of work to seal the win for the Bison.

Gottesman (1-2) earned his first win of the season after tossing six innings and allowing just two hits while striking out five. JohnPaul Bell continued his strong start to the season, adding three more RBI in a two-for-two effort at the plate. Wincig notched two RBI, and Toso added two runs scored as well as an RBI.

Game Two: Bucknell 13, Niagara 1
The Bison continued their offensive onslaught in game two of the doubleheader to give plenty of run support to starting pitcher Jack Simpson, including an eight-run eighth inning. Simpson tossed seven innings while allowing just two hits as the Bison cruised to a 13-1 win in game two.

The Bison jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second after Marc Chernin and Chris Cannizzaro were plated by Madigan's double down the right field line.

The Bison continued to add run support in the after Bell lead off the inning with a single to center before stealing second and advancing to third on an errant throw. A walk from Marc Chernin then set up Ben Smith, who plated Bell with a single to left field. A sac bunt from Madigan moved Smith and Chernin a base, and set up a two-RBI single by Caleb Broughton to extend the Bison lead to 5-0.

Niagara pulled a run back in the sixth after an error allowed Max Giordano to score from first base.

However, the Bison left little doubt with an eight-run eighth inning to seal the win. Bell singled to the pitcher to start things off, before Chernin plated Bell on a double. Cannizzaro then scored pinch runner Jared Drizin on an RBI double, before Madigan tripled to score Cannizzaro. Broughton singled through the right side shortly afterwards to bring Madigan home for a 9-1 lead.

After a pitching change by the Purple Eagles, two consecutive errors by the Purple Eagles on fielder's choice attempts at second helped add two more runs. Alex Baumann added another run on a single up the middle to plate Peter Marren, before a wild pitch helped Toso score from third to end the inning.
Relievers Nate Grisius and Brenden Tuttle didn't allow a hit in two innings of work as the Bison completed the sweep in a commanding 13-1 win.

Simpson posted a strong day on the mound, throwing seven innings with seven strikeouts. Luke Hartman finished the day with three hits batting in the leadoff spot, while Bell, Smith, Madigan, and Broughton each posted mult-hit days. Broughton posted a career-high three RBI, while Madigan added two RBI of his own.  The win was the third consecutive outing in which the Bison held Niagara to one run.

The Bison will continue their home stretch with a Tuesday afternoon matchup against Saint Joseph's.