Navy at Bucknell
LEWISBURG, Pa. (Interstat) — Bucknell edged Navy 5-4 in 13 innings Monday afternoon at Eugene B. Depew Field, earning a split of the Patriot League doubleheader after the Midshipmen won both ends of Sunday’s twin bill.
The Bison (22-21) outhit the Midshipmen 16-11 and capitalized on a walk-off single by Zach Selfon in the bottom of the 13th. Navy (29-15) had rallied from an early deficit and taken the lead in the seventh before Bucknell answered.
Navy struck first in the top of the first. Ty Cripe singled and later scored on an RBI double by Evan Brown, who advanced to third on the throw, making it 1-0. Chris Klug walked and stole second, but Andrew Manning struck out to end the inning.
Bucknell answered in the bottom half. Billy Ty doubled, moved to third on a Michael Trommer single and scored on a John Calabrese sacrifice fly to cut the lead to 1-1. The Bison loaded the bases with two walks, but a fielder’s choice ended the threat.
The Midshipmen regained the lead in the second. Noah Stead reached on a center-field error and scored on Cripe’s RBI single through the right side to make it 2-1.
Bucknell tied it in the third. Trommer singled, and after a strikeout, Garrett Mathias singled to put runners at first and second. Calabrese singled to left, scoring Trommer to knot the game at 2-2. Another walk loaded the bases, but a double play ended the inning.
The Bison took their first lead in the fourth. Deacon Bowne reached on a throwing error by Navy third baseman Evan Brown. After an interference call wiped out a runner, Trommer tripled to right, scoring Billy Ty unearned to give Bucknell a 3-2 edge.
Navy answered in the fifth. Evan Brown walked and advanced on a groundout and a wild pitch, but a groundout left him stranded.
Bucknell added a run in the bottom half. Mathias tripled to center and scored on Calabrese’s second sacrifice fly, making it 4-2.
Navy tied it in the sixth. Jake Hooten singled, stole second, moved to third on a groundout and scored on Noah Stead’s RBI single to shortstop, cutting the deficit to 4-3.
The Midshipmen grabbed the lead in the seventh. Evan Brown led off with a solo home run to left, his first of the game, tying the score at 4-4. Patrick Walsh singled, and Chris Klug bunted for a single. With runners at first and second, Manning struck out, but a wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position. Hooten walked to load the bases with one out. Bucknell reliever Bryce Mitchell entered and induced a fielder’s choice that cut down Walsh at home, then Stead flied out to end the inning.
Both teams went scoreless in the eighth and ninth, sending the game to extra innings.
In the 10th, Navy’s Noah Stead doubled to left with one out, but he was stranded when Cripe popped out and Victor Izquierdo and Brown failed to bring him home.
Bucknell threatened in the bottom of the 10th. Lleyton Coupe singled, was caught stealing, and after a strikeout, Deacon Bowne and Billy Ty walked. But Michael Trommer flied out to center.
The 11th and 12th innings passed without a run. Navy left a runner on base in the 12th when Will Howard singled but was stranded.
In the bottom of the 13th, Bucknell’s Garrett Mathias singled to right with one out. Chris Morabito pinch-ran for Mathias. After John Calabrese struck out, Zach Selfon singled to left, scoring Morabito to end the game.
Bucknell’s Hadley Maxwell earned the win with four innings of relief, allowing two hits and no earned runs while striking out five. He bounced back from a poor outing Sunday against the same team. For Navy, Jackson Beattie threw four hitless innings with four strikeouts. Evan Brown went 2 for 6 with a home run and two RBIs. Michael Trommer had three hits and drove in a run for Bucknell, while John Calabrese drove in three runs on one hit, including two sacrifice flies.
Navy won two of three in the series, taking both ends of Sunday’s doubleheader 5-3 and 9-4. Bucknell had taken two of three in Annapolis in March.
Interstat’s game simulator projected an 8-3 Navy victory. Interstat’s ELO system gave the Midshipmen a 52.00 percent probability to win.