May 16, 2008
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - After tying the score with five runs in the seventh inning, Bucknell completed the comeback with a run in the top of the ninth to knock off Navy, 7-6, in game one of the Patriot League Baseball Championship Series on Friday at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium.
The No. 4 seed Bison (25-22-2) take a 1-0 lead in the series, and will have a shot at the League title when the teams meet in game two of the best-of-three matchup on Saturday at Noon in Annapolis. If No.2 seed Navy (32-24-1) wins that contest, the teams will face off for the title in a decisive game three 30 minutes after the conclusion of game two.
Bucknell started off the ninth inning with a single by Jason Buursma, who then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. After a walk put runners on first and second, Shawn Hirsch singled through the left side off of Navy's J.D. Melton to score Buursma and give the Bison their first and only lead of the day at 7-6.
Buursma then went out and shut down Navy in the bottom of the ninth, striking out Jeff Bland with a runner on second base to end the contest. Buursma (8-3) pitched two scoreless innings of relief to earn the win, his eighth of the season and record-setting third in the Patriot League Tournament. He earned both of Bucknell's victories in last weekend's semifinals at Army. Buursma has thrown nine scoreless innings with just three hits allowed out of relief in the Tournament.
Buursma had to escape trouble in the eighth, as he pitched around a one-out triple by Renaldo Hollins by striking out Mike Guadagnini and getting Thomas Hamilton on a come-back ground ball to end the inning.
It didn't look like it would come to that for most of the day, as Navy held a 6-1 advantage going into the seventh inning. But Bucknell stormed out in that frame, putting up five runs to tie the game before even recording an out. Bret Sokirka walked to start the inning, and a Ben Allen double put runners on second and third. That hit also chased Navy starting pitcher Oliver Drake, who finished his day with three runs allowed over six innings pitched with seven strikeouts.
Navy went to relief pitcher Drew Carlson, but Bucknell kept the momentum going. Sokirka scored on a wild pitch, and Dane Grandizio singled in Allen to cut the Bucknell deficit to 6-3. A walk to Mark Angelo and single by Buursma followed to load the bases for designated hitter John Avanzino, who came through with a two-run single to trim the Navy lead to 6-5. Andrew Brouse followed with a single to complete the rally and tie the game at 6-6.
Navy called on Chris Murray out of the bullpen with runners on first and second and nobody out, and he proceeded to get out of the inning without any more damage with a double play and a strikeout. Murray went on to pitch a scoreless eighth, but was saddled with the loss by giving up Buursma's single in the ninth. Murray's record fell to 4-3 for the season.
The Mids jumped out to the 6-1 advantage in the first three innings. They got a two-out rally in the first inning for a pair of runs, with Kendall Bolt doubling to drive in both Hamilton and Michael Speciale for an early 2-0 lead.
Bucknell got a run back in the top of the second, but Navy claimed the five-run edge with four runs in the bottom of the third. Guadagnini doubled with one out, and came around to score on Allen's throwing error on Hamilton's single. Speciale singled to move Hamilton to third, and Bolt hit a sacrifice fly to make it 4-1. Two batters later, Bland hit a two-run double to right center to give Navy the 6-1 lead.
The Mids could have had more in the fifth, but failed to score after loading the bases with nobody out against Bison starting pitcher Mat Wilson. After allowing singles by Hamilton, Speciale and Bolt, Wilson battled back to get out of the inning. He induced an infield pop up by Jonathan Berkowitz, struck out Bland and retired Bill Maugeri on a fly out to right to escape without any damage.
Wilson threw seven innings for the Bison, allowing six runs on 11 hits while striking out 10 batters.
Allen, Buursma and Hirsch all recorded 3-for-5 days at the plate. Allen had a run and an RBI, while Buursma scored twice and Hirsch drove in one. Brouse went 2-for-4 and Grandizio was 2-for-5, with each player scoring once and driving in a run.
Hamilton and Speciale were both 3-for-4 with two runs scored for the Mids, while Bolt went 2-for-4 with three RBI. The three hitters, Navy's 3-4-5 in the lineup, have gone a combined 18-for-26 in the last two games.
The teams combined to leave 21 runners on base, with Bucknell totaling 11 and Navy 10.
In Saturday's game two, Bucknell will serve as the home team, while Navy will play as the visitor on its home field. Navy would have the last at-bat in game three. The Bison will go in search of their first title since 2003, while Navy tries for its first Championship since 2002.
