Bucknell University
23-22-1, 14-11
Army (PL Championship)
37-16, 21-4
Baseball Falls to Army in Game One of the Patriot League Championship Series
5/21/2023 5:05:00 PM | Baseball
WEST POINT, N.Y. – Big offensive outputs in the third and seventh innings propelled No. 1 Army to a 20-5 win over No. 2 Bucknell in the first game of the 2023 Patriot League Baseball Championship Series Sunday afternoon at Doubleday Field. The Bison will look to extend the best-of-three series when they face the Black Knights in game two on Monday.
The Black Knights posted 19 hits, including eight during a 10-run bottom of the third and four during an 8-run bottom of the seventh. The Bison racked up double-digit hits as well but left 13 runners stranded, including three in the top of the sixth and three more in the top of the seventh.
Jacob Corson put together a 3-for-4 day at the plate and broke the scoring open with a solo home run in the top of the first inning. Sean Keys also homered for the Bison and walked twice. Army sent three over the fence and finished the day with five doubles.
Army's Matthew Ronnenbaum received the win after going 5.2 innings and allowing nine hits and all five Bison runs. Bucknell used five arms, with freshman Hadley Maxwell going 3.2 innings over the middle portions of the game and holding Army off the board over three frames.
After Army evened the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the second inning, Bucknell regained the lead with its best offensive showing in the top of the third. With one away, Anthony Sherwin, Corson and Grant Voytovich all singled in succession, and Tyler Dunn drove in Corson on a sacrifice fly to make it 3-1 in favor of the Orange & Blue.
The Black Knights' bats came alive in the bottom half of the third, as they opened the frame with six consecutive hits before Will Greer entered the game and interrupted the barrage with a strikeout for Bucknell's first out. Army continued, however, as another runner was walked in, a single up the middle scored two more, and a grand slam pushed the lead to 11-3. Maxwell then entered, and the Bison defense turned a double play to end the inning.
Keys' two-run homer in the top of the fifth got Bucknell back in striking distance, but they were the final runs the Bison would score on Sunday.
The Black Knights capitalized on four walks and three Bucknell errors in the bottom of the seventh and added a pair of doubles to make it a 19-5 game, and they added one more home run the following inning.
Monday's game 2 is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN+. Bucknell defeated Army 13-3 in the second game of the 2022 Patriot League Championship Series after dropping the first. If the Bison can even this year's Championship Series, a third game will be played at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, May 23.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Matthew Ronnebaum (7-4)
L: DiFiore, Chris (6-6)
Batting:
HR: Corson, Jacob 1 ; Keys, Sean 1
RBI: Corson, Jacob 1 ; Voytovich, Grant 1 ; Keys, Sean 2 ; Dunn, Tyler 1
SF: Dunn, Tyler 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sherwin, Anthony 1 ; Corson, Jacob 2 ; Voytovich, Grant 1 ; Keys, Sean 1
HBP: Keys, Sean 1
Batting:
2B: Sam Ruta 1 ; Kevin Dubrule 2 ; Braden Golinski 1 ; Addison Ainsworth 1
HR: Sam Ruta 1 ; Ross Friedrick 1 ; Braden Golinski 1
RBI: Sam Ruta 5 ; Kevin Dubrule 4 ; Ross Friedrick 2 ; Braden Golinski 1 ; Ethan Ellis 2 ; Addison Ainsworth 2 ; Chris Barr 3
SF: Chris Barr 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Derek Berg 3 ; Sam Ruta 3 ; Kevin Dubrule 2 ; Ross Friedrick 2 ; Braden Golinski 3 ; Coleson Titus 2 ; Ethan Ellis 1 ; Addison Ainsworth 2 ; Chris Barr 2
HBP: Derek Berg 1
