April 23, 2008

Box Score

OLEAN, N.Y. - Eight players combined for 13 hits as the Bucknell baseball team posted a 9-6 win over St. Bonaventure on Wednesday afternoon. The Bison staved off a ninth-inning rally by the Bonnies to improve to 21-18-2 on the season, while St. Bonaventure falls to 20-16.

The Orange and Blue wasted little time getting things going offensively as the squad scored five runs in the top of the first on four hits. Sophomore Ben Allen (Port Royal, Pa./Juniata) led off with a walk, moved to third on a double by sophomore Andrew Brouse (Kreamer, Pa./Midd-West) and crossed the plate on an RBI groundout by senior Mark Angelo (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown). Junior Zachary Brown (Stroudsburg, Pa./Notre Dame) then drove in Brouse with a single up the middle and scored on a single by classmate Hunter George (Ross, Calif./The Branson School). Freshman Drew Constable (West Chester, Pa./Henderson) reached with an infield hit and came home on an error, while junior Jared Kuhmerker (Alexandria, Va./TC Williams) scored the final run of the frame on a double steal.

In the bottom of the second, St. Bonaventure took one of the runs back as Nick Cunliffe began the inning with a walk and T.J. Pennino later brought him in with a sacrifice fly.

However, the Bison responded by adding three more to their total in their next turn at-bat. Constable led off with a single through the left side and George drove him in with an RBI double to center. Kuhmerker followed with a base hit of his own to knock in freshman Doug Shribman (Marblehead, Mass./Belmont Hill School), who reached with a single, and freshman Joseph DeMarzo (Livingston, N.J./Seton Hall Prep) capped off the scoring by plating George with a double down the right field line.

Bucknell increased its advantage to 9-1, tacking on its final run of the day in the top of the seventh as Constable reached on an error and came home on an RBI single by Kuhmerker.

After managing just one run on three hits in the first eight innings, the Bonnies threatened a comeback with five runs on three hits in the bottom of the ninth to pull within 9-6. Allen ended the rally by getting Tristan Mulcahy and Cael Johnson to strike out looking with the bases loaded and recorded the save in his first collegiate appearance on the mound.

Freshman Daniel Hart (Levittown, N.Y./Island Trees) earned the victory (2-0) for the Bison. He did not allow a run or a hit with three walks and two strikeouts in three innings of work. Starter Dennis Sherba went two innings for St. Bonaventure and took the loss (1-1) after surrendering seven runs, five earned, on seven hits with one walk and no strikeouts.

Kuhmerker led the Orange and Blue at the plate as he was 3-for-4 with two RBI. DeMarzo (2-for-3), George (2-for-4) and Constable (2-for-5) all posted multiple-hit performances as well, while Constable finished with a team-high three runs scored. Pennino and Randy Moley combined for four of the Bonnies' six hits, going 2-for-3 and 2-for-4, respectively.

Bucknell will be back in action this Saturday, Apr. 26, when the squad will play host to Lehigh in the final Patriot League series of the regular season, with the first of the weekend's two doubleheaders beginning at noon on Depew Field.