Baseball Downs Villanova 4-3 at Home Tuesday

Tuesday, March 21

Lewisburg, Pa.

3 p.m.

Bucknell University

8-11

Villanova

2-17

Villanova

Bucknell

Photo by: Marc Hagemeier

3/21/2023 7:24:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Photo Gallery

LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Bucknell baseball team worked its way back from a 3-1 deficit in the sixth inning to defeat Villanova 4-3 at Depew Field on Tuesday, logging a third consecutive win. Sean Keys homered and Kyle Lyons drove in a run on a sacrifice fly to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth, and Jacob Corson scored the winning run on a wild pitch an inning later to help the Bison improve to 4-1 at home this season.

Senior Henry Novicki earned his first collegiate win in what was just his third career appearance on the mound and his first of the season. He was one of six from the Bison pitching staff to appear on Tuesday, and freshman Ryan Osinski earned the save after retiring the Wildcats in order in the top of the ninth.

Freshman Drew Uccello registered his first career hit and RBI in the fourth inning to get the Bison on the board for the first time, and Billy Kender put together a 2-for-3 day at the plate with a walk. Keys' home run was his second of the week and fourth of the season.

Villanova took an initial 2-0 lead in the top of the first when A.J. Hansen reached on an error and Cameron Hassert homered in the next at-bat. Bryce Reimer, who started the game for the Bison, settled in after that and struck out five over the first three innings.

Back-to-back Bison walks to begin the bottom of the fourth set up Ucello's RBI single, which kicked off the Villanova pitcher and ended up in shallow right field, allowing Kender to score. The Wildcats responded in the top of the sixth with a walk and back-to-back one-out singles to grow their lead to 3-1. Bucknell turned its first of three double plays to get out of the inning.

Keys led off the bottom of the sixth with the home run to make it 3-2, and Kender followed with a double to get in scoring position. A Mason Kelly walk and a sacrifice bunt by Uccello set up Lyons' sac fly that tied the game.

The Wildcats almost grabbed the lead again in the top of the seventh when Paul Cooke sent a ball down the right field line with a runner on first, but a well-executed relay set up a play at the plate, and Bucknell made the tag on the lead runner to get out of the inning and preserve the tie. Bucknell took advantage of a leadoff double by Corson in the bottom half of the inning, as he'd make his way around the bases and score on the wild pitch for Bucknell's fourth run with two away.

E7 | Like a well-oiled machine on that relay! The Bison make the tag at home to end the inning and keep the tie, then Corson scores on a wild pitch in the B7 to give the Bison a 4-3 lead! @ESPN | @PatriotLeague TV

Watch: https://t.co/HxRPqL26v0 pic.twitter.com/4FzfJWUmBn
— Bucknell Baseball ⚾️ (@Bucknell_BB) March 21, 2023

Nick Mulvey and Osinski allowed no Villanova hits over the final two innings to hold on for the win. It was the second save of the season for Osinski.

Villanova threw seven pitchers in the game, and Stephen Turzai received the loss.

Bucknell returns to Depew Field at noon on Saturday, March 25 for a doubleheader against Lafayette.