Sunday, May 1
West Point, N.Y.
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Bucknell University
19-23, 14-11
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Army West Point
22-20, 15-6
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Army
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Photo by: Phil Inglis
Bucknell Baseball Falls to Army on Sunday, Clinches Patriot League Tournament Berth
5/1/2022 6:35:00 PM | Baseball
WEST POINT, N.Y. – The Bucknell University baseball team dropped its regular-season finale to Army on Sunday afternoon in the rubber match between the two schools, 6-5. The Bison carried a 5-4 lead into the eighth, but the Black Knights responded with two runs in that frame to take a 6-5 victory.
Bucknell has clinched a berth in the Patriot League Tournament for the first time since 2018, and will await further results around the Patriot League's final week next weekend to determine seeding. Lafayette and Lehigh still have four games to play, with Bucknell owning the first tiebreaker over the Leopards in case of a tie courtesy of a 3-2 regular-season record. The Mountain Hawks could catch the Bison by winning all four of their remaining Patriot League contests, and own the tiebreaker against the Bison by taking three of the five matchups this season.
Bucknell took a 3-0 lead early on, much like the Black Knights did in Bucknell's come-from-behind victory in game two on Saturday.
Chris Cannizzaro started the inning with a double down the right field line before the senior was brought home by an RBI single from Grant Voytovich. An error by Army in the infield allowed Voytovich to move to second after a groundout, before the sophomore touched home on another error by the Black Knights. A balk by the Black Knights then allowed Bucknell's Tyler Dunn to score from third for the final run of the frame.
Army pulled one run back in the first, before Cannizzaro belted his team-leading fifth home run of the season to left center in the top of the third, homering in back-to-back games for the second time in his career, and the first time since the Virginia series in 2020.
However, Army tied the game in the bottom of the inning on a home run of its own, as Nick Manesis hit a three-run shot to center field with two outs to make the score 4-4.
The Bison regained the lead in the fifth when senior Kendall Pierson led off the inning with a double on the first pitch he saw, before fellow senior Logan Kellerman moved Pierson over a bag on a single on an 0-2 count. That set up Kyle Lyons, who scored Pierson on a fielder's choice as the Bison took a 5-4 lead.
Bucknell carried that lead into the eighth, as starter Austin Odell kept the Black Knights off the board until he was replaced in the eighth inning, going seven innings for the seventh time this season, and for his fourth straight appearance.
However, Army managed to take the lead for good in the frame, reaching on two straight singles to start the inning. A groundout by Braden Golinski plated the first Army run, before an error by the Bison allowed the go-ahead run to touch home. Senior Andrew Funovits entered the game with two on and two outs, getting a fly out to right fielder Voytovich to end the threat and keep Bucknell within one, 6-5.
Bucknell nearly tied the game in the ninth, as Anthony Sherwin and Cannizzaro each singled with one out to put runners on the corners. However, Army reliever Tanner Gresham managed to retire the final two Bison batters to earn the save and help the Black Knights clinch the regular-season title.
The Bison managed 11 hits, with Cannizzaro enjoying another fantastic day at the plate with four hits and two runs scored with an RBI. Voytovich and Sherwin also added two hits as the first three Bison hitters combined to go 8-for-15 from the dish. Senior Odell struck out two while allowing four runs in another effective outing for the Bison.
The Patriot League semifinals are set to take place on Saturday May 14 to Sunday, May 15. The Bison will find out their opponent and the location of their playoff series after the conclusion of the Patriot League regular season.
Bucknell has clinched a berth in the Patriot League Tournament for the first time since 2018, and will await further results around the Patriot League's final week next weekend to determine seeding. Lafayette and Lehigh still have four games to play, with Bucknell owning the first tiebreaker over the Leopards in case of a tie courtesy of a 3-2 regular-season record. The Mountain Hawks could catch the Bison by winning all four of their remaining Patriot League contests, and own the tiebreaker against the Bison by taking three of the five matchups this season.
Bucknell took a 3-0 lead early on, much like the Black Knights did in Bucknell's come-from-behind victory in game two on Saturday.
Chris Cannizzaro started the inning with a double down the right field line before the senior was brought home by an RBI single from Grant Voytovich. An error by Army in the infield allowed Voytovich to move to second after a groundout, before the sophomore touched home on another error by the Black Knights. A balk by the Black Knights then allowed Bucknell's Tyler Dunn to score from third for the final run of the frame.
Army pulled one run back in the first, before Cannizzaro belted his team-leading fifth home run of the season to left center in the top of the third, homering in back-to-back games for the second time in his career, and the first time since the Virginia series in 2020.
However, Army tied the game in the bottom of the inning on a home run of its own, as Nick Manesis hit a three-run shot to center field with two outs to make the score 4-4.
The Bison regained the lead in the fifth when senior Kendall Pierson led off the inning with a double on the first pitch he saw, before fellow senior Logan Kellerman moved Pierson over a bag on a single on an 0-2 count. That set up Kyle Lyons, who scored Pierson on a fielder's choice as the Bison took a 5-4 lead.
Bucknell carried that lead into the eighth, as starter Austin Odell kept the Black Knights off the board until he was replaced in the eighth inning, going seven innings for the seventh time this season, and for his fourth straight appearance.
However, Army managed to take the lead for good in the frame, reaching on two straight singles to start the inning. A groundout by Braden Golinski plated the first Army run, before an error by the Bison allowed the go-ahead run to touch home. Senior Andrew Funovits entered the game with two on and two outs, getting a fly out to right fielder Voytovich to end the threat and keep Bucknell within one, 6-5.
Bucknell nearly tied the game in the ninth, as Anthony Sherwin and Cannizzaro each singled with one out to put runners on the corners. However, Army reliever Tanner Gresham managed to retire the final two Bison batters to earn the save and help the Black Knights clinch the regular-season title.
The Bison managed 11 hits, with Cannizzaro enjoying another fantastic day at the plate with four hits and two runs scored with an RBI. Voytovich and Sherwin also added two hits as the first three Bison hitters combined to go 8-for-15 from the dish. Senior Odell struck out two while allowing four runs in another effective outing for the Bison.
The Patriot League semifinals are set to take place on Saturday May 14 to Sunday, May 15. The Bison will find out their opponent and the location of their playoff series after the conclusion of the Patriot League regular season.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: DENNEHY, Sean (4-2)
L: Carroll, Graeme (2-5)
S: GRESHAM, Tanner (5)
Batting:
2B: Cannizzaro, Chris 1 ; Pierson, Kendall 1
HR: Cannizzaro, Chris 1
RBI: Cannizzaro, Chris 1 ; Voytovich, Grant 1 ; Lyons, Kyle 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Cannizzaro, Chris 2 ; Voytovich, Grant 1 ; Dunn, Tyler 1 ; Pierson, Kendall 1
HBP: Dunn, Tyler 2
Batting:
2B: MEADE, Hunter 1 ; RUTA, Sam 1 ; BERG, Derek 1
HR: MANESIS, Nick 1
RBI: FRIEDRICK, Ross 1 ; MANESIS, Nick 3 ; GOLINSKI, Braden 1
Base Running:
RUNS: MEADE, Hunter 2 ; DUBRULE, Kevin 1 ; MANESIS, Nick 2 ; MACIAS, Carter 1
SB: MANESIS, Nick 1 ; MACIAS, Carter 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
2
H
4
RBI
1
AB
5
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Baseball
1B/OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball1B/OF
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/ BaseballINF/OF
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