Baseball Drops Two Walk-Off Games at Lehigh Saturday

Saturday, April 20

Bethlehem, PA

1 p.m.

Bucknell University

10-29, 0

Lehigh

17-20, 0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Bucknell	1	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	3	5	2
Lehigh	0	1	1	0	0	1	0	0	2	5	8	0

Photo by: Marc Hagemeier

Baseball Drops Two Walk-Off Games at Lehigh Saturday

4/20/2019 9:19:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Bucknell University baseball team suffered a pair of heartbreaking losses at Lehigh on Saturday afternoon, dropping both games on the final at-bat as Lehigh walked off to take two wins on the day.

Game One: Lehigh 5, Bucknell 3
Lehigh's Tony Gallo ended game one in dramatic style with a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Mountain Hawks took game one. The Bison had two home runs of their own in the loss, but couldn't capitalize in a crucial seventh inning as they fell 5-3 in the first contest of the day.

A seemingly innocuous first inning for the Bison was brought to life with two outs as Dominic Toso gave Bucknell a 1-0 lead on the first pitch he saw of the day with a solo shot to right center. The home run was the first of the season for Toso, and just the second of his career. Toso's other home run came in the sixth inning of a 6-0 win at Holy Cross on April 14, 2018.

The Mountain Hawks tied things up in the bottom of the second on a sac fly, before taking the lead in the third on an RBI single from Gallo. In the top of the fourth, Tyler Wincig launched his team-leading seventh home run of the season to the opposite field to tie things back up at two.

Lehigh grabbed a 3-2 lead in the sixth on an RBI double that scored Matt Hand.

The top of the seventh was promising for the Bison, as Toso was at it again with a sharply hit single to right center. JohnPaul Bell then smashed a triple to left center that scored Toso and put the go-ahead run at third with nobody out.

Alex Baumann walked in the next plate appearance, before the Mountain Hawks managed to steal two outs after Bell was caught in a rundown at third and Baumann was then caught trying to steal third as Lehigh managed to escape the inning with just the one run allowed.

That was the closest the Bison would get to reclaiming the lead, as Gallo ended the game in the ninth inning of the scheduled seven-inning contest with a deep home run to right center that gave Lehigh the win.

Hunter Robichaux (0-1) was charged with the loss in relief. Starting pitcher Jeff Gottesman tossed 6.1 innings with seven hits and three earned runs while striking out four.

Wincig and Toso posted multiple-hit games, while Bell added Bucknell's other hit.

Game Two: Lehigh 7, Bucknell 6
The Bison were on the wrong side of another walk-off by Gallo, this time taking a 6-5 lead into the deciding half-inning after a Baumann sac fly scored Luke Hartman. Gallo knocked an RBI single to left field that scored two to give the Mountain Hawks back-to-back walk off wins in the bottom of the ninth.

Bucknell once again led in the first inning, this time on a fielder's choice by Bell that scored Hartman.

Gallo responded for the Mountain Hawks in the second with a solo home run to left field to tie things at one.

The Bison reclaimed the lead in the second when Evan Madigan managed the third of three consecutive singles by Baumann and Peter Marren with an RBI knock that brought home Baumann from third for a 2-1 advantage.

A leadoff walk in the fourth for Lehigh helped Gallo knock in his second RBI with a double down the left field line to tie the game at two, before a bases loaded walk scored another run. Starting pitcher Jack Grabek managed to escape the bases-loaded, one out jam with minimal damage with two big strikeouts as Lehigh took a 3-2 lead after four.

In the top of the fifth, Wincig launched a two-run shot to right center for his third home run in his last six games and his second of the day. Bell then followed suit one batter later, homering to right field on a no-doubt shot off of the bat that extended Bucknell's lead to 5-3.

After another solo home run, this time by the Mountain Hawks in the sixth to cut the Bucknell lead to 5-4, Lehigh tied the game in the bottom of the eighth on a sac fly.

In the top of the ninth, Hartman led things off with a walk before a walk from Wincig put two runners on. Toso moved the runners with a well-executed bunt, before Baumann scored Hartman from third with a fly out to right field that gave Bucknell a 6-5 lead entering the final half inning.

Lehigh managed to score two runs in the bottom of the frame to take the win after a leadoff walk and a single put two runners on. A wild pitch then moved the runners to set up Gallo's single that he ripped down the left field line to score both and give Lehigh the 7-6 win.

Grabek posted another strong outing, striking out a season-high 11 batters. Brenden Tuttle (1-3) was credited with the loss.

Hartman posted two hits, along with Marren and Madigan. The two hits were the first multi-hit game for Marren this season. Bell posted two RBIs along with Wincig in the defeat.

Bucknell wraps up its three-game set against the Mountain Hawks on Sunday at 12 p.m.