Baseball Rallies Past Navy 6-3 to Gain Series Split

Sunday, March 19

Annapolis, Md.

1 p.m.

Bucknell University

7-11, 2-2

Navy

9-11, 2-2

Bucknell

Navy

Photo by: Bret Hindman

Baseball Rallies Past Navy 6-3 to Gain Series Split

3/19/2023 5:05:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Ben Magovern and Nick Mulvey pitched shutout ball over the final eight innings after Navy took an early 3-0 lead, and Anthony Sherwin and company rallied for six unanswered runs to lead the Bucknell baseball team to a 6-3 win on Sunday at chilly Max Bishop Stadium. After dropping the first two in the four-game series, the Bison bounced back to win the next two and gain a split on the opening weekend of Patriot League play.

After driving in a career-high six runs in a 17-4 win in game two of Saturday's doubleheader, Sherwin continued to torment the Midshipmen with a tiebreaking RBI double in the fifth and an important sacrifice fly in the ninth. Sherwin went 8-for-15 with eight RBIs and six runs scored in the series and is now hitting .412 on the season.

Kyle Lyons added three hits and extended his hitting streak to 10 games for the Bison, who improved to 7-11 on the season and 2-2 in the Patriot League. Magovern (1-1) overcame a tough beginning to get through seven innings, allowing just one earned run on six hits. Mulvey worked the final two innings for his second save, getting a big 6-4-3 double play to end the game after Navy (9-11, 2-2 PL) put its first two men on base in the bottom of the ninth.

Navy jumped ahead just two batters into the game, thanks to a leadoff double by Hudson Lehnertz followed by a throwing error. Two more runs came home on a sacrifice fly and a fielder's choice, and the Bison found themselves in an early 3-0 hole.

Navy starter Thomas Russell (2-2) looked sharp early, pitching no-hit ball while facing only one above the minimum through three innings. But a seemingly innocent hit-by-pitch to Grant Voytovich with one out in the fourth got Bucknell going. Tyler Dunn flicked a 2-2 pitch into the left-field corner to score Voytovich all the way from first, and then Sean Keys followed with an RBI single to score Dunn. Navy's leftfielder Lehnertz battled the sun and wind and couldn't corral a fly ball to put men at second and third, and Mason Kelly brought home the tying run with an infield hit.

SAFETY WARNING: Do not touch Anthony Sherwin! The man is on fire right now. His double into the gap gives the Bison the lead, and he came around to score on a Jacob Corson base hit. It's 5-3 Bison in the 5th. #rayBucknell

Watch: https://t.co/qYVtDuxkhu @PatriotLeagueTV | @ESPN pic.twitter.com/rnxlQl5xo9
— Bucknell Baseball ⚾️ (@Bucknell_BB) March 19, 2023

Lyons hustled out an infield single to start Bucknell's sudden go-ahead rally in the fifth. Sherwin followed with a double up the left-center alley on an 0-2 pitch to give the Bison a 4-3 lead. One pitch later, Corson rapped a single up the middle to bring home Sherwin.

Magovern had settled in nicely by then, and he got a big lift from his defense to keep it a 5-3 game in the sixth. With two on and one out, Dunn snared a sharp line drive off the bat of Colin Smith and then dove to the first-base bag to double off the trail runner.

Tyler Dunn with the #webgem to get the Bison out of trouble in the 5th! #rayBucknell

Watch: https://t.co/qYVtDuxkhu @PatriotLeagueTV | @ESPN pic.twitter.com/LzaRJ0NYhs
— Bucknell Baseball ⚾️ (@Bucknell_BB) March 19, 2023

Mulvey entered in the eighth and stranded two runners, getting a strikeout and a foul out to end that threat. After Sherwin put an insurance run on the board with a sac fly – again coming on an 0-2 pitch – Navy brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth. An error and walk started the inning, but Mulvey picked up a called third strike on Henry Mitchell and got Logan Keller to roll into a 6-4-3 double play to end it.

Bucknell out-hit Navy 9-7 in the game. Alex Smith had two hits to lead the Midshipmen.

Winners of five of their last seven, the Bison will have five home games coming up next week. Villanova comes to Depew Field for a non-league game on Tuesday, and then Bucknell hosts Lafayette and Lehigh for doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday.