Saturday, April 19
Bethlehem, Pa.
12 p.m.
Bucknell University
14-22, 0
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3
Lehigh
17-19, 0
1
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3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Bucknell
4
0
1
1
0
0
1
7
7
1
Lehigh
1
0
0
0
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0
2
3
5
0
Photo by: Alisa Mitchell
Baseball Earns Split with Lehigh in Patriot League Battle for Playoff Push
4/19/2025 6:40:00 PM | Baseball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Junior Michael Trommer's two-run home run and sophomore Chirs Morabito's two-run triple in the first inning powered the Bucknell baseball team to a Game 1 win to split with Lehigh at J. David Walker Field on Saturday afternoon. The Bison won 7-3 behind a complete-game effort by senior Tyler O'Neill before falling 5-4 in Game 2.
As it stands, Lehigh (18-19, 7-11 PL) remains one game ahead of the Bucknell (14-23, 6-12 PL) in the PL standings. Tomorrow's winner will take the season series and hold the potential head-to-head tiebreaker as both teams are fighting for the fourth-place spot in the standings with Lafayette (12-28, 8-10 PL) in reach.
O'Neill, the Patriot League Pitcher of the Week, was lights out once again for six innings until a quick single and homer led off the seventh inning. O'Neill, who came into the game second in the conference in punch outs, had just three strikeouts, but forced nine ground outs and seven fly outs.
Trommer's homer was his fourth of the season and the eighth of his career, matching his season total from last year. Senior Tyler Dunn homered later in Game One for his third of the season and the sixth of his career. Dunn extended his on-base streak to 30 games, reaching base five times between the two games. Dunn led the PL in walks coming into the weekend and added three more to his total.
Senior Billy Kender extended his hitting streak to six games and his on-base streak to 19 with a hit in each game. Morabito had a hit in each game, and the first inning triple was his fourth of the season, good for second-most in the PL.
Senior Brady Karp led the Bison with four RBIs between the two games. Karp hit two sacrifice flies on the day, and drove in Bucknell's first three runs in Game 2.
Game 1: Bucknell 7, Lehigh 3 (7 inn.)
The Bison got off to a hot start as a four-run first inning highlighted by Trommer's two-run homer was enough for the Bison as O'Neill allowed just three runs in his second complete-game effort of the season.
Dunn walked with one out in the first inning before Trommer's two run shot. Trommer took Lehigh starter Liam O'Hearen deep to left-center field for quick 2-0 lead. The rally continued with a walk by Kender and a double by junior Ryan Facinelli to put two runners in scoring position. Sophomore Chris Morabito sent everybody home with a line drive into the right-center field gap to put the Bison up 4-0.
O'Neill's only blemish on the day was a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh to cut the BU lead to 7-3. Lehigh's only run prior came directly on an error in the bottom of the first inning. O'Neill went three-up, three-down over the next three innings as Kender scored on a wild pitch in the third inning.
Dunn homered to right field in the fourth inning. His third long ball of the year put the Bison up 6-1 as O'Neill mowed through the Lehigh lineup. Karp extended the Bison lead again in the seven on a sacrifice fly to make it 7-1.
The Bison scored its seven runs on seven hits and drew 10 walks. This was the fourth time this season that the Bison drew double-digit walks.
Trommer was 2-for-4 and the only Bison with a multi-hit game. Dunn, Kender, Facinelli and Nascimento all drew two walks.
Game 2: Lehigh 5, Bucknell 4
Bucknell battled back from an early 4-1 deficit, tying the game 4-4 on a double by sophomore Luke Nascimento in the top of the fifth. The comeback was undone by Lehigh's Dom Patrizi in the bottom of the eighth as a solo homer gave the Mountain Hawks a late 5-4 lead.
Lehigh tagged senior starter Ben Magovern for four runs in the first three innings. Magovern battled for 4.1 inning as he allowed 10 hits, but stranded six runners and had five strikeouts to keep the Bison within striking distance.
Karp hit a sacrifice fly in the top of the second inning to give the Bison an early lead, but Lehigh came to life in the bottom half of the inning with three runs. With the bases loaded, Magovern got a weak grounder back to him, and quickly went home with the throw to set up a 1-2-3 double play to get out of the jam.
The Mountain Hawks scored another in the third, but the Bison answered with two in the top of the fourth. Junior Ryan Facinelli was plunked to lead off the inning, and Morabito walked to put two on with no outs. Another hit-batter loaded the bases, and Karp came up with a big single into left field to score two runs.
Kender walked and stole second base to start the fifth inning. A fielder's choice by Morabito moved him to third, and Nascimento delivered the clutch, two-out hit to tie the game 4-4.
Senior Nick Mulvey was credited with the loss, despite a strong outing on the mound. Mulvey took over in the fourth, tossing 2.2 scoreless innings before the solo homer in the eighth. Patrizi's home run was the first and only hit Mulvey allowed in his 3.2 innings of work.
Bucknell had six hits and drew nine walks in the game. The Bison stranded 12 base runners, leaving two runners on base in four different innings. Lehigh had 11 hits in the game and stranded seven runners.
The rubber match between the Bison and Mountain Hawks is set for 12 p.m. on Sunday at J. David Walker Field at Legacy Park.
As it stands, Lehigh (18-19, 7-11 PL) remains one game ahead of the Bucknell (14-23, 6-12 PL) in the PL standings. Tomorrow's winner will take the season series and hold the potential head-to-head tiebreaker as both teams are fighting for the fourth-place spot in the standings with Lafayette (12-28, 8-10 PL) in reach.
O'Neill, the Patriot League Pitcher of the Week, was lights out once again for six innings until a quick single and homer led off the seventh inning. O'Neill, who came into the game second in the conference in punch outs, had just three strikeouts, but forced nine ground outs and seven fly outs.
Take a look at the Trommer 💣 #rayBucknell🔶🔷🦬
— Bucknell Baseball ⚾️ (@Bucknell_BB) April 19, 2025
Watch: https://t.co/0SpkX5Xkw2@PatriotLeagueHQ | @espn pic.twitter.com/evHGDf6f7c
Trommer's homer was his fourth of the season and the eighth of his career, matching his season total from last year. Senior Tyler Dunn homered later in Game One for his third of the season and the sixth of his career. Dunn extended his on-base streak to 30 games, reaching base five times between the two games. Dunn led the PL in walks coming into the weekend and added three more to his total.
Dunn got all of this one!! 👇 #rayBucknell🔶🔷🦬
— Bucknell Baseball ⚾️ (@Bucknell_BB) April 19, 2025
Watch: https://t.co/0SpkX5Xkw2@PatriotLeagueHQ | @espn pic.twitter.com/Q4kE75TnG8
Senior Billy Kender extended his hitting streak to six games and his on-base streak to 19 with a hit in each game. Morabito had a hit in each game, and the first inning triple was his fourth of the season, good for second-most in the PL.
Senior Brady Karp led the Bison with four RBIs between the two games. Karp hit two sacrifice flies on the day, and drove in Bucknell's first three runs in Game 2.
Game 1: Bucknell 7, Lehigh 3 (7 inn.)
The Bison got off to a hot start as a four-run first inning highlighted by Trommer's two-run homer was enough for the Bison as O'Neill allowed just three runs in his second complete-game effort of the season.
Dunn walked with one out in the first inning before Trommer's two run shot. Trommer took Lehigh starter Liam O'Hearen deep to left-center field for quick 2-0 lead. The rally continued with a walk by Kender and a double by junior Ryan Facinelli to put two runners in scoring position. Sophomore Chris Morabito sent everybody home with a line drive into the right-center field gap to put the Bison up 4-0.
O'Neill's only blemish on the day was a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh to cut the BU lead to 7-3. Lehigh's only run prior came directly on an error in the bottom of the first inning. O'Neill went three-up, three-down over the next three innings as Kender scored on a wild pitch in the third inning.
Dunn homered to right field in the fourth inning. His third long ball of the year put the Bison up 6-1 as O'Neill mowed through the Lehigh lineup. Karp extended the Bison lead again in the seven on a sacrifice fly to make it 7-1.
The Bison scored its seven runs on seven hits and drew 10 walks. This was the fourth time this season that the Bison drew double-digit walks.
Trommer was 2-for-4 and the only Bison with a multi-hit game. Dunn, Kender, Facinelli and Nascimento all drew two walks.
Game 2: Lehigh 5, Bucknell 4
Bucknell battled back from an early 4-1 deficit, tying the game 4-4 on a double by sophomore Luke Nascimento in the top of the fifth. The comeback was undone by Lehigh's Dom Patrizi in the bottom of the eighth as a solo homer gave the Mountain Hawks a late 5-4 lead.
Lehigh tagged senior starter Ben Magovern for four runs in the first three innings. Magovern battled for 4.1 inning as he allowed 10 hits, but stranded six runners and had five strikeouts to keep the Bison within striking distance.
Karp hit a sacrifice fly in the top of the second inning to give the Bison an early lead, but Lehigh came to life in the bottom half of the inning with three runs. With the bases loaded, Magovern got a weak grounder back to him, and quickly went home with the throw to set up a 1-2-3 double play to get out of the jam.
The Mountain Hawks scored another in the third, but the Bison answered with two in the top of the fourth. Junior Ryan Facinelli was plunked to lead off the inning, and Morabito walked to put two on with no outs. Another hit-batter loaded the bases, and Karp came up with a big single into left field to score two runs.
Kender walked and stole second base to start the fifth inning. A fielder's choice by Morabito moved him to third, and Nascimento delivered the clutch, two-out hit to tie the game 4-4.
TIE BALLGAME! Nascimento delivers the clutch two-out hit! #rayBucknell
— Bucknell Baseball ⚾️ (@Bucknell_BB) April 19, 2025
Watch: https://t.co/l1PCKjqY1d@PatriotLeagueHQ | @espn pic.twitter.com/TOGxaZXb6X
Senior Nick Mulvey was credited with the loss, despite a strong outing on the mound. Mulvey took over in the fourth, tossing 2.2 scoreless innings before the solo homer in the eighth. Patrizi's home run was the first and only hit Mulvey allowed in his 3.2 innings of work.
Bucknell had six hits and drew nine walks in the game. The Bison stranded 12 base runners, leaving two runners on base in four different innings. Lehigh had 11 hits in the game and stranded seven runners.
The rubber match between the Bison and Mountain Hawks is set for 12 p.m. on Sunday at J. David Walker Field at Legacy Park.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: O'Neill, Tyler (3-3)
L: O'Hearen, Liam (3-5)
Batting:
2B: Facinelli, Ryan 1
3B: Morabito, Chris 1
HR: Dunn, Tyler 1 ; Trommer, Michael 1
RBI: Dunn, Tyler 1 ; Trommer, Michael 2 ; Morabito, Chris 2 ; Karp, Brady 1
SH: Calabrese, John 1
SF: Karp, Brady 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Dunn, Tyler 2 ; Trommer, Michael 1 ; Kender, Billy 2 ; Facinelli, Ryan 1 ; Morabito, Chris 1
SB: Fluharty, Billy 1 ; Nascimento, Luke 1
Batting:
HR: Kohl, Andrew 1
RBI: Kohl, Andrew 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Whitlinger, Jake 1 ; Walewander, Owen 1 ; Kohl, Andrew 1
CS: Whitlinger, Jake 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
2
R
2
H
1
RBI
1
AB
2
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
1B
/ BaseballIF/OF
/ Baseball
IF
/ BaseballIF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballIF
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