March 14, 2008

Box Score

BRADENTON, Fla. - After falling down 4-0, the Bucknell baseball squad rallied to score three unanswered runs, but could not complete the comeback, dropping a 4-3 decision to Akron on Friday afternoon on IMG Field. The Bison are now 5-6-2 on the season, while the Zips improve to 9-6.

Akron plated the first run of the contest in the bottom of the first as John Turk walked and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Doug McNulty. Then in the third, the Zips added another as Kevin Haas registered a one-out single and came home on a double down the left field line by Kurt Davidson.

In the bottom of the fourth, Akron extended its lead to 4-0 with two runs on three hits. Ryan Frazee and Brian Kordal reached with back-to-back singles and Phil Bednar drove in the pair with a double.

Bucknell pulled to within 4-2 after scoring two in the top of the fifth. Senior Shawn Hirsch (Morristown, N.J./Morristown) knocked a leadoff double to right center, moved to third on an single by sophomore Ben Yoder (Belleville, Pa./Indian Valley) and scored when sophomore Ben Allen (Port Royal, Pa./Juniata) reached on a fielder's choice. Allen moved to second on an infield single by senior Jason Buursma (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside School) and to third on an error before crossing the plate on a sacrifice fly by senior Mark Angelo (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown).

The Bison tacked on another run in their next turn at-bat. Senior Austin Turban (Northfield, Ill./New Trier) began the frame with an infield single, stole second and went to third on the play following an errant throw. Then with one out, Yoder brought him in with an RBI groundout.

That would be all for the Orange and Blue, however, as Tom Farmer came in to pitch the final three innings of the contest and earned the save (4), allowing no runs and just one hit with no walks and five strikeouts. Freshman Eric Jarrett (Jersey Shore, Pa./Jersey Shore Area) surrendered four runs on nine hits with three walks and six strikeouts over seven innings, taking the loss (2-2) for Bucknell. Drew Tuorcy earned the victory (3-1) for the Zips after going six innings and giving up three runs, two earned, off nine hits with two walks and three strikeouts. Buursma pitched the eighth for the Bison and held Akron hitless while striking out two.

For the 12th time in 13 games to begin the season, Bucknell's offense reached double figures in hits, led by Buursma (2-for-5), Angelo (3-for-2) and sophomore John Avanzino (Manhasset, N.Y./Manhasset) (2-for-4). Yoder, Allen and Angelo drove in one run apiece for the Orange and Blue. Two players recorded multiple-hit performances for the Zips as Davidson was 2-for-3 and Bednar was 2-for-3.

The Bison will wrap up its Spring Break trip to Bradenton, Fla., tomorrow, Mar. 15, with a game against Eastern Illinois at 10:30 a.m. on IMG Field.