Saturday, April 5
Lewisburg, Pa.
12:00 PM
Lehigh University
3
at
7
Bucknell
Mountain Hawks drop two at undefeated Bucknell
4/5/2014 5:31:00 PM | Baseball
LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Lehigh baseball team dropped a pair of games Saturday at Bucknell by scores of 7-3 and 11-2 at Bucknell's Depew Field. With the losses, Lehigh falls to 11-13 overall and 2-3 in the Patriot League, while the Bison remain undefeated in league play at 6-0.
"Our guys have been resilient all year," said head coach Sean Leary. "We'll come back out here tomorrow and be ready to play."
Junior Tim McKay and freshman Jacen Nalesnik both went 2-for-5 at the plate in the two games combined, while sophomore Mike Garzillo drove in two runs.
In the day's first game, a seven-inning contest, the Bison scored a first-inning run on an RBI single to right-center from Rob Krentzman to take a 1-0 lead. The Mountain Hawks answered in the top of the third as freshman Patrick Donnelly roped a leadoff triple to right center before an RBI single from Garzillo scored Donnelly and tied the game at one.
The Bison jumped ahead in the bottom of the fourth as Corey Furman singled to right field to score two and give Bucknell a 3-1 lead. Two batters later, Anthony Gingerelli hit a home run over the right field fence to extend the Bison lead to 6-1.
Lehigh was able to get one back in the top of the sixth on a sacrifice fly from senior Tyler Brong that scored Garzillo. After the Bison tacked on another run in the bottom half of the inning, McKay led off with a double to left field in the seventh and later scored on an RBI groundout off the bat of Garzillo, but it was all the Mountain Hawks could muster.
Lehigh starting pitcher Mike Burke suffered the loss after allowing six runs on ten hits in four innings. Bucknell starter Bryson Hough picked up the complete-game win with a line of three runs on seven hits.
The Bison picked up where they left off in the day's second game, a nine-inning affair, with three runs in the top of the first. An unearned run scored by Corey Furman was followed by a two-run single up the middle from Krentzman. Bucknell tacked on four more in the second inning, ousting Lehigh starter junior Nick Stephens as senior Joey McNamara took the mound in relief.
Junior John Elson led off the fifth with a double to left field. Nalesnik followed with an RBI single to right before Donnelly hit a sacrifice fly to center as the Mountain Hawks put two on the board. Sophomore Brandon Kulp took the mound in the bottom of the sixth after McNamara hurled 3.1 innings allowing just one run. The Bison plated three more in the sixth to take an 11-2 lead.
Sophomore Kevin Boswick kept Bucknell hitless through the final two innings, but the Lehigh bats couldn't get moving at the Bison picked up their seventh straight win.
Stephens suffered the loss, while Bucknell's starting pitcher Dan Weigel claimed the win.
Lehigh and Bucknell will complete the four-game series Sunday with a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m.
Like Lehigh baseball on Facebook and follow on Twitter for exclusive updates throughout the season.
Baseball vs. Coppin State
Tuesday, April 29
Baseball vs. Penn
Wednesday, March 19
Baseball vs. UAlbany
Sunday, March 16
Season Preview Baseball
Thursday, February 13
