March 11, 2008

Box Score

BRADENTON, Fla. - A home run by senior Jason Buursma (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside School) began a three-run eighth inning, but the rally was not enough as the Bucknell baseball team fell to Eastern Illinois, 9-6, on Tuesday afternoon at IMG Field. The loss, which snapped a six game unbeaten streak for the Orange and Blue, leaves the Bison at 5-3-2 on the season, while the Panthers move to 3-7.

Eastern Illinois struck for two runs in the first and one in the second to grab a 3-0 lead. Brett Nommensen reached on a fielder's choice and scored on an error, while a single by Richie Derbak plated Zach Skidmore. Then in the second, Ben Thoma led off with a single and later came home on a wild pitch.

Bucknell cut its deficit to 3-2 in the top of the third. Senior Ed Rubbo (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge) began the frame with a walk and moved to third when junior Jared Kuhmerker (Alexandria, Va./TC Williams) reached on a two-base error. Rubbo came in for the first Bison run on an RBI groundout by sophomore Ben Allen (Port Royal, Pa./Juniata) and Kuhmerker scored the second on an infield single by senior Mark Angelo (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown).

The Panthers took one of the runs back in the bottom half of the frame. Derback doubled to right with one out and crossed the plate on a two-out double by Cameron Strang.

Then in the top of the fourth, the Bison again made it a one-run game as Kuhmerker singled in senior Austin Turban (Northfield, Ill./New Trier) who reached on a fielder's choice.

After a scoreless fifth, Eastern Illinois broke the game open in the bottom of the sixth, scoring five runs on five hits, highlighted by a three-run double by Alex Gee.

The Bison offense came alive in the top of the eighth as Buursma pinch hit for sophomore John Avanzino (Manhasset, N.Y./Manhasset) and led off the inning with a home run to centerfield. Then with one out, the Bison strung together three straight hits that yielded two more runs. Turban singled up the middle and moved to third on a double by sophomore Kevin Drozin (Concord, Ohio/Notre Dame Cathedral Latin), his first career hit. Freshman Billy Lupo (Nutley, N.J./Nutley) followed with a single that drove in Turban. Drozin scored the final run of the frame on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Ben Yoder (Belleville, Pa./Indian Valley).

That would be all as Debak quelled the Bison rally, allowing just one hit in the final 1.2 innings to pick up the save (1). Josh Mueller earned the victory (1-2) for the Panthers after giving up three runs, one earned, on six hits with four walks and seven strikeouts. Freshman Trey Frahler (Northfield, Ill./New Trier) started for the Orange and Blue and took the loss (1-1) he went 2.2 innings and surrendered four runs on six hits with four walks and one strikeout.

Turban, Buursma and junior Zachary Brown (Stroudsburg, Pa./Notre Dame) all finished with two hits apiece for the Bison, Buursma going 2-for-2 with a home run an RBI and a run scored, while Turban scored twice.

Bucknell will return to action tomorrow, Mar. 12, with a game against Illinois State at 11:30 a.m. on IMG Field in Bradenton, Fla.