WEST POINT, N.Y. – The Bucknell baseball team fell in both games of a doubleheader to Army on Saturday afternoon at Doubleday Field. The Black Knights walked off game one 2-1 before rattling off a 5-1 win in game two.
With Army’s (22-15, 12-7 PL) three wins over the Bison, The Black Knights are within one game of Bucknell (20-18, 13-6 PL) in the Patriot League standings. Navy (25-14, 12-7) also closed the gap with wins in each of its first three games over Holy Cross (16-22, 10-9 PL). The Mids and Crusaders finish of the series Saturday evening.
Bucknell struggled to find momentum offensively with two runs on 11 hits between the two games. Army starting pitchers Kevin Reavey tossed five scoreless innings in game one before Trey Ates threw a complete game in game two.
Bison starter Jake Schultz was excellent on the mound in game one, allowing one run on three hits in 5.2 innings. Bucknell’s pitching staff allowed 6 runs on 12 hits between both games.
Deacon Bowne had a strong day for the Bison, going 3-for-5 with an RBI. Bowne doubled in both games and went for two hits in game two.
Bucknell looks to hold onto its conference lead in the series finale against Army with first pitch at 1:05 p.m. on Sunday at Doubleday Field.
Game One: Army 2, Bucknell 1 (8 innings)
Army led 1-0 until Bucknell tied the game back up in the sixth before Carter Hewitt walked off the game for the Black Knights with an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth.
Schultz’s only stain on the day was a solo home run the Josiah Overbeek in the third inning. The junior right-hander allowed one run on three hits with one strikeout over 5.2 innings on the mound. It was his longest start of the season after he returned from injury in March.
Overbeek launched his league-leading 10th homer to right field and later hit his 11th homer in game two. Army’s Kevin Reavey was dominant on the mound, allowing no runs on three hits over five innings.
The Bison rallied in the sixth to even the score 1-1 after the Black Knights made a move to the bullpen. Michael Trommer and Ty Lagoni drew free bases, forcing Army to go to the bullpen again. Overbeek came on to pitch, allowing an RBI double for Garrett Mathias to tie the game. Overbeek struck a batter out, forced a ground ball to get an out at the plate, then drew a groundball to third ended the inning as the Bison stranded the bases loaded in the inning.
Army got its first baserunner on in the eighth inning via a throwing error to put the pressure on. Chriss Barr stole second in the next at-bat as Jones worked a strikeout. The Bison intentionally walked William Parker before John McKillop loaded the bases with an infield single. Hewitt then took a 3-2 pitch to right field to end the ballgame.
Both teams had six hits in the game. Bucknell’s error in extra innings was the only error of the game. The Bison stranded eight batters on the basepaths while Army left six on base.
Game Two: Army 5, Bucknell 1
Army took game two of the day 5-1 in nine innings to get the series win over the Bison. Army jumped to a 2-0 lead before the Bison cut it to 2-1 on Deacon Bowne’s double in the fifth. The Bison were stifled on offense by starter Trey Ates. The right-hander dominated with a complete-game effort striking out eight batters.
Brady Hoar threw two clean innings to begin the game, but the Black Knights struck first in the third innings on an RBI single by Thomas Schreck. Another run came home on a wild pitch for a 2-0 lead.
Zach Selfon singled to leadoff the fifth, and Andrew Swenson moved him to second on a sacrifice bunt. Bowne then doubled down the left field line to drive in Selfon and cut the lead to 2-1. Bowne was then stranded at second.
Army answered in the bottom half of the fifth as Overbeek hit his second home run of the day to give the Black Knights a 4-1 lead. Army extended its lead to 5-1 after an RBI single by Jack Quiinlan in the sixth.
Bryce Mitchell allowed the hit to Quinlan as an inherited runner came in to score the run. Mitchell was great after the hit, retiring seven batters as Army closed out the win. The Bison did not get a hit after Bowne’s double as Ates finished off his complete game with four no-hit innings.