March 12, 2008

Box Score

BRADENTON, Fla. - Sophomore Andrew Brouse (Kreamer, Pa./Midd-West) matched a school record with three doubles, but it was not enough as the Bucknell baseball team dropped a 13-6 decision to Illinois State on Wednesday at IMG Field. With the loss, the Bison are now 5-4-2 on the year, while the Redbirds move to 6-5.

Following a scoreless first, Illinois State struck for five runs in the bottom of the second, capitalizing on two Bucknell errors and scoring three of the runs on RBI doubles by Mike Stalowy and Kevin Dubler.

Bucknell got on the board in the top of the fifth as sophomore John Avanzino (Manhasset, N.Y./Manhasset) led off with a home run. Senior Mark Angelo (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown) followed with a single up the middle and came in on an RBI double by Brouse.

The Redbirds expanded their lead out to seven with four runs in their next turn at-bat. After Kyle Cherney and Corey Maines, the first two batters of the inning, drew walks, Ronnie Calvird dropped down a bunt single to load the bases. Back-to-back singles by Kevin Konsler and Dan Weston drove in the three runners, while Konsler accounted for the final run of the frame, crossing the plate on a sacrifice fly by Stalowy.

The Bison refused to go quietly, however, adding three in the top of the sixth to pull to within 9-5. Sophomore Ben Allen (Port Royal, Pa./Juniata) reached on a fielder's choice and senior Jason Buursma (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside School) singled with one out before Angelo drove the pair in with a triple to right field. Brouse then plated Angelo with his school record-tying third double of the game.

But, in the bottom half of the frame, Illinois State continued the scoring, tacking on its 10th and 11th run of the contest with a sacrifice fly by Maines and an infield single by Konsler. The squad followed up with two more in the seventh with and RBI triple by Dubler and a sacrifice fly by Anthony Ruffolo.

Buursma led off the eighth with the second solo home run of the day for the Orange and Blue, bringing the final score to 13-6.

Sophomore Andrew Clarke (Montgomery, Texas/Montgomery) started for Bucknell and took the loss (0-1), surrendering five unearned runs on two hits with four walks and two strikeouts over two innings. Tyler Cox logged the win (2-0) for the Redbirds. In 5.2 innings of work, he let up five runs on seven hits with no walks and six strikeouts.

Angelo and Brouse paced the Bison hitters, both 3-for-4 at the plate with two RBI apiece, while Angelo scored twice and was a home run shy of hitting for the cycle. Buursma finished 2-for-4 with a home run, an RBI and two runs scored. Dubler and Weston each contributed three RBI for Illinois State.

Bucknell next faces Vermont tomorrow, Mar. 13, at Manatee Community College in Bradenton, Fla., at 2:30 p.m.