April 20, 2014

5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E Bucknell 0 0 2 0 2 0 1 5 9 0 Lafayette 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 4 7 1 Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF) 4

EASTON, Pa. - Bucknell built a four-run lead by the fifth inning and held off a late Lafayette rally for a 5-4 victory in game one of Sunday's doubleheader at Kamine Stadium.

After limiting the Lafayette offense to one run through the first six innings, Bucknell's starter Andrew Andreychick ran into some trouble in the seventh. Facing a 5-1 deficit, Lafayette brought the tying run to the plate in the form up pinch hitter Rob Caliento with one out. Three straight singles by Andrew Landolfi, Victor D'Ascenzo and Austin Maggin filled the bases before Caliento walked on a 3-2 pitch to pull Lafayette within three. Andrew Santomauro was next as Bucknell turned to right-handed closer Tucker Rekucki with the bases loaded and one out.

Santomauro greeted Rekucki with a single that fell in front of Bucknell's left fielder Tommy Pennington, before Jackson Kramer was hit by a pitch, making it a one-run ballgame. Up next was Alex Woinski, who Rekucki struck out swinging for the second out, prior to Tim Lazor flying out down the right field line. Rekucki collected his sixth save of the season, while Andreychick moved his record to 5-3.

Bucknell's right-handed starter struck out eight and walked one in 6 1/3 innings, and was charged with four runs on six Lafayette hits. His counterpart David Bednar tossed 4 1/3 innings in the loss, fanned six, and allowed four runs on six base knocks.

Bucknell struck first in the third inning and took a 2-0 lead on Anthony Gingerelli's two-run homer over the wall in right. Brett Smith started the inning with a single up the middle, then the left-handed hitting Gingerelli turned on Bednar's 1-2 pitch for his fourth home run of the season.

With Bednar in a two-on, one out jam in the fifth, Lafayette called on left-handed pitcher Ari Kaufman out of the bullpen.

Sam Clark blooped the first pitch he saw from Kaufman the opposite way down the left field line to chase home Brett Smith from second base as the Bison increased their lead to 3-0. With men on second and third, Rob Krentzman's groundout to shortstop brought the runner in from third and Bucknell led 4-0 at that point.

Andreychik carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning before Landolfi broke it up with a one-out single through the hole between third and shortstop. Two batters later after a strikeout of Ronald Sessa, Landolfi swiped second to move into scoring position with Parker Hills at the plate. Hills went down swinging to strand Landolfi at second base.

In the Lafayette half of the sixth, Santomauro lifted a ball off the wall in left and cruised into second with a standup double. With one out, Jackson Kramer launched another double to left over the glove of Pennington to chase home Santomauro from third base. The Leopards' centerfielder stole third on a 2-2 pitch before Kramer's two-bagger with the count full. Andreychik limited the damage at one run, however, as Woinski and Lazor were both retired.

The Bison improved to 22-15-1 overall and 12-3 in Patriot League play, while Lafayette fell to 10-22 and 3-10 in conference games.

Game Notes:

D'Ascenzo's single in the seventh was the first of his career.

Cory Spera pitched the final 2/3 of the seventh in support of Kaufman.