Chiarvallo's Pinch-Hit RBI Double in the Eighth Lifts Bison to Series Win over Lafayette

Saturday, March 14

Lewisburg, Pa.

1 p.m.

Bucknell University

6-10, 2-0

Lafayette

1-12, 0-2

Lafayette

Bucknell

Photo by: Steven Schoenfelder

Chiarvallo's Pinch-Hit RBI Double in the Eighth Lifts Bison to Series Win over Lafayette

3/14/2026 6:21:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

LEWISBURG, Pa. – Michael Chiaravallo's two-out pinch hit double in the eighth gave the Bucknell baseball team its first series win in the Patriot League in a 9-8 victory over Lafayette at Depew Field at Marren Park. The Bison overcame a four-run deficit to win their second straight game over Lafayette and will look to sweep the Leopards on Sunday.

Lafyette (1-12, 0-2 PL) took a big lead in the top of the sixth with a four-run burst, but Bucknell (6-10, 2-0 PL) answered immediately in the bottom half of the frame with four runs to tie it back up.

Billy Fluharty led off the eighth inning with a triple for his fourth hit afternoon. Lafayette earned two quick outs to hold Fluharty at third, but Chiaravallo came in to hit a blooper to centerfield for the game-winning run. Liam Jones then entered the game in the ninth to earn his first career save.

Michael Chiaravallo comes up big in the eighth with a pinch-hit double to score Fluharty and give the Bison the lead!https://t.co/hbHIrhABX3 @PatriotLeague | @espn pic.twitter.com/dmm6iKx12p
— Bucknell Baseball ⚾️ (@Bucknell_BB) March 14, 2026

Everett Garber got through two scoreless innings before Teddy Cashman's leadoff home run to put the Leopards on the board in the third. Liam Ebbs followed with a single and worked his way to third on a passed ball and a stolen base, then came in to score on a wild pitch. A two-out single by Charlie Chropuvka later in the inning extended the lead to 3-0.

Bucknell responded quickly with four runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 4-3 lead. Nascimento and Fluharty singled on 0-2 counts and Trommer put them both in scoring position with a productive out. Ty Lagoni walked, and Garrett Mathias drove in two runs with a single through the right side.

Garrett Mathias drives in two to get the Bison on the board. Zach Selfon tied the game back up in the next at bat with a fielder's choice! https://t.co/hbHIrhABX3 @PatriotLeague | @espn pic.twitter.com/r9VYCQFPf2
— Bucknell Baseball ⚾️ (@Bucknell_BB) March 14, 2026

Zach Selfon brought in the tying run with great hustle to beat the double play ball at first, and Andrew Swenson came through with a two-out single to drive in Selfon for the lead.

Andrew Swenson beats out the throw to first to grab the lead. Bison bat around the order in a four-run bottom of the third! https://t.co/hbHIrhABX3 @PatriotLeague | @espn pic.twitter.com/7NHlVbvuBH
— Bucknell Baseball ⚾️ (@Bucknell_BB) March 14, 2026

Garber got two quick outs to begin the fourth inning, but a walk and a double tied the game back up at 4-4. The right-hander ended his day with four runs, three unearned, on five hits with five strikeouts.
Mikey Myro got out of a jam in the fifth inning after walking the bases loaded with one out. He walked to before earning a strikeout, then walked another to load the bags. The senior worked a strikeout to get the second out, and Cashman lined out to end the inning.

Lafayette rallied again in the sixth and cashed in for four runs. A single and an error put two runners in scoring position, and a single by Matt Colella gave the Leopards the lead. Jack Mislan and Chropuvka drove in runs in the inning, and Chropuvka came home later in the inning on a wild pitch to make it 8-4.

After hitting two doubles in game one, John Calabrese roped another down the right field line to start the sixth for the Bison. A walk and an error loaded the bases with no outs, setting up a two-run double by Fluharty. With runners on second and third, Lagoni tied the game up 8-8 with a two-run single back up the middle.

Fluharty gets us back in the ballgame with his third hit of the day! https://t.co/hbHIrhABX3 @PatriotLeague | @espn pic.twitter.com/BLQs1KNxb8
— Bucknell Baseball ⚾️ (@Bucknell_BB) March 14, 2026

Lagoni stays hot and ties this game right back up! The Bison answer a four-run inning by Lafayette with four of their own in the bottom of the sixth! https://t.co/hbHIrhB9MB @PatriotLeague | @espn pic.twitter.com/23gOCCl3Y0
— Bucknell Baseball ⚾️ (@Bucknell_BB) March 14, 2026

Tyler Hawkins was lights out in relief, pitching a perfect seventh and eighth inning with two strikeouts in just 18 pitches. With a 9-8 lead heading to the ninth after Chiaravallo's RBI double, Jones entered the game for his first save opportunity. Jones walked the first batter, but forced a 5-4-3 double play to relieve the pressure. The freshman then ended the game with a strikeout.

Hawkins earned his first career win on the mound along with Jones' first career save. Fluharty was 4-for-5 at the plate with his third career four-hit game. His last four-hit effort came against Lafayette last season.

Lleyton Coupe was 2-for-3 at the plate with a walk. Mathias and Lagoni each had a two-run single in the game. Lagoni was 1-for-4 with a walk after a 4-for-5 day in game one. John Calabrese was 1-for-1 with a walk and a hit-by-pitch in the game. He notched his third double of the series.

Bucknell had 12 hits on the day and left nine runners on base. Only four of Lafayette's eight runs were earned as pitchers on both sides struggled early in the game with strong winds.

Bucknell and Lafayette play one more on Sunday at Depew Field at Marren Park. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. as the Bison look for its first sweep of the season.