April 18, 2011
Box Score
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Navy and Bucknell completed their four-game series on Monday afternoon at Max Bishop Stadium where the Mids picked up an impressive, 6-5, win in the eighth inning of game one, but fell, 15-7, in game two. The series split gives Navy a 7-5 record in conference play as it is now tied with Army and Lafayette for the top spot in the Patriot League.
"I've said so many times, this league is so competitive," said Navy head coach Paul Kostacopoulos. "There isn't much difference between all six teams. So, when you get a win, it's a hard-fought win - no matter who the opponent or what game it is in the series. It's just a battle and I think the standings reflect that with all the teams so close together."
A day after going 3-for-4 and driving in the key runs in Navy's 5-2 win in game two on Sunday, Nick Driscoll was the hero again in game one on Monday. With the game tied in the eighth inning, Driscoll drove in the winning run with a single up the middle that scored Josh Moore to give Navy a 6-5 win.
"It was nice to see Josh and Nick come through," said Kostacopoulos.
Trailing 3-1 in the bottom of the third inning, Taylor Cato and Dave Milanes singled, consecutively, and then a throwing error by Bucknell first baseman Doug Shribman in the next at-by allowed Cato to score.
The error, which came on a double play attempt with one out, proved costly for the Bison as the next two Navy hitters gave the Mids the lead. Jonathan Wright brought in Milanes with a single and Jeff Bland followed with a double to left center field for his second RBI of the day to give Navy its first lead, 4-3.
Preston Gainey replaced Navy starting pitcher Sam Long in the top of the fifth inning and got one out before the Bison took advantage of a Navy error and used three hits to score twice and take a 5-4 lead.
Wright tied the game for Navy in the bottom of the fame with another RBI single. With Cato on third base and two outs, Wright, who went 2-for-4, got a base hit through the middle to tie the game.
Gainey retired the side in the sixth and seventh, but after a double and walk with one out in the eighth, Joel Rinehart replaced him.
With runners at first and second base, Rinehart fanned Bucknell leadoff hitter Drew Constable and then got David Duffet to fly out to center field to keep the game tied.
With one out in the bottom of the eighth, Josh More belted a pitch off Bucknell reliever Alex Cillo to the corner in right field to set up Driscoll's walk-off single.
"When you get down three runs in a seven-inning game and are able to come back, that's a good team win," said Kostacopoulos.
Rinehart earned the win in relief as he moved to 2-1 on the year. Cillo, who pitched the final 3.1 innings, took the loss for the Bison.
Scoreless in the top of the second inning of game two, the Bison batted around and put up six runs off five hits to take a commanding lead.
Constable, who finished game two 2-for-5 with seven RBIs, provided the key hit in the frame when he took Navy reliever Zach Sipe deep for a three-run homer.
Navy made it a 6-3 game in the bottom of the second, courtesy for a two-RBI triple by Moore and an RBI single by Driscoll.
But the Mids couldn't slow down Bucknell at the plate as it scored twice more in the third inning and then added three more runs in the fifth to go ahead, 11-3.
Greg Dupell hit his sixth home run of the season in the fifth to make the score 11-4.
The Bison added two more runs in the top of the sixth, but Driscoll continued his strong day at the plate in the bottom of the frame with a two-RIB triple. A throwing error on the play allowed Driscoll to come home, making the score 13-7.
Bucknell (16-22, 4-8) scratched across solo runs in the seventh and eighth innings to make the final score 15-7.
Cato started game two and went just 1.1 innings as he suffered his first loss of the season to fall to 2-1. He was one of five Navy pitchers to see action in the second game.
Bucknell's Jack Boehm went 5.1 innings and allowed six runs off seven hits to improve to 3-2.
Navy, now 22-16-1 overall, will play its fifth game in three days on Tuesday when it hosts Maryland Eastern Shore at 4 p.m. at Max Bishop Stadium.
