April 26, 2008

Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell baseball team was swept in its Patriot League doubleheader against Lehigh on Saturday afternoon on Depew Field, falling by the scores of 4-3 and 8-4. Following the pair of setbacks, the Bison are now 21-20-2 overall and 9-9 in the Patriot League, while the Mountain Hawks move to 22-26, 6-12 in league play.

Bucknell was first to score in game one as sophomore Ben Yoder (Belleville, Pa./Indian Valley) ripped a one-out triple to the gap in right center and came home on a sacrifice fly by junior Dane Grandizio (Bloomsburg, Pa./Bloomsburg) to give the Orange and Blue a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first.

Lehigh then pulled in front by one after scoring twice in the third. Geoff Campbell was hit by a pitch to begin the inning and later crossed the plate on an RBI single by Brendan McGaheran. Billy Goldman then scored the second run of the frame on an error after reaching on a fielder's choice.

The Mountain Hawks brought a run in the fourth and added another in the fifth. Billy Swenson led off the fourth with a single and came home when Matt Reitz was caught stealing following a strikeout to Campbell. In the fifth, Liam O'Connor connected for an RBI single to drive in McGaheran, who reached on an error, for what would be the eventual winning run.

In their final turn at-bat, the Bison threatened to erase the 4-1 deficit. Senior Mark Angelo (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown) singled to center and, with one out, sophomore Andrew Brouse (Kreamer, Pa./Midd-West) hit a towering home run over the left field fence to pull Bucknell within one. That would be as close as the squad would come, however, as Joe Matteo retired the next two batters he faced to pick up the win (6-3) in the complete game effort for Lehigh. He allowed three runs on five hits with two walks and seven strikeouts.

Senior Jason Buursma (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside School) pitched all seven innings for the Orange and Blue and took the loss (5-3). He surrendered four runs, just one earned, on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts.

Angelo and Brouse combined for four of Bucknell's five hits, both going 2-for-3 in game one. Five different players contributed one hit apiece for Lehigh.

The Bison led early in game two as well. After two and one-half scoreless innings, senior Shawn Hirsch (Morristown, N.J./Morristown) singled to begin Bucknell's half of the third and Yoder plated him with a hit up the middle. Two batters later, Grandizio drove in Yoder with a double to the left field corner.

Lehigh cut its deficit in half in the sixth as Mark Bernhard led off with a double and came in on a sacrifice fly, but the Orange and Blue answered with one in the bottom of the frame as Grandizio led off with a single through the right side and later scored when Brouse sent an RBI single down the left field line.

The Mountain Hawks went on to take the lead with five runs on four hits in the top of the seventh. Joe Ercolano knocked in the first with a single to left, while Berhard plated a pair with a hit through the right side. McGaheran then capped off the rally with a two-run homer to left, giving Lehigh a 6-3 advantage.

In their next turn at-bat, the Mountain Hawks tacked on two more insurance runs. Christian Valeriano scored the first on an RBI single by Campbell, while Campbell crossed the plate on a base knock by Joe Bellini.

The Bison brought in the final run of the game in the bottom of the eighth as Angelo was hit by a pitch and came home on an RBI groundout by freshman Drew Constable (West Chester, Pa./Henderson).

Andrew Grim threw all nine innings for Lehigh to earn the victory (4-2). He allowed four runs, three earned, on 10 hits with no walks and one strikeout. Freshman Eric Jarrett (Jersey Shore, Pa./Jersey Shore) started and suffered the loss (4-5) for Bucknell. In 6.2 innings on the mound, Jarrett gave up four runs on five hits with three walks and four strikeouts.

Yoder hit a team-best 3-for-5 for the Bison in game two with a run scored and an RBI. Four Mountain Hawks posted multiple-hit performances.

The squads will square off again tomorrow, Sunday, Apr. 27, in the regular season finale for the Orange and Blue. Game one of the doubleheader is slated to begin at noon.