The Baseball Blog: Patriot League Tournament - Game 2

May 10, 2008 | Baseball

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Game 1 Blog

Welcome to the second game of this afternoon's Patriot League semifinal doubleheader between Army and Bucknell. The Bison took the first game, 5-4, in 10 innings. Ben Allen's home run in the top of the 10th was the difference.

Army must win the second game to stay alive in the best-of-three series. In the other Patriot League semifinal, Holy Cross defeated Navy, 6-0, in game one.

The Black Knights banged out 11 hits in the opener, including three by Andy Ernesto. Kevin McKague drove in a pair of runs, and Chris Simmons went deep for the Black Knights. Drew Clothier started, struggled early, but came back to post a solid outing. He threw 8.2 innings, allowing three earned runs on eight hits. He struck out five and walked one.

If you were with me in game one, you'll know I'm locked and stocked with cookies and Atomic Fireballs. My dentist could not be happier. The fireballs were quasi-successful in game one. They came through with some runs, but couldn't get the big one when I needed it. If you weren't reading the first blog, you are thoroughly confused at this point. The short version is that Atomic Fireballs have been my go-to candy to start rallies ever since I started in this business. It was a little trick of the trade passed down to me by my boss at Ithaca College when I was a student.

As always, drop me a note at brian.gunning@usma.edu with a question, comment or random thought. It's an easy way to get your name on the internet so you can Google yourself later. Plus, it spares everyone from me rambling on about things like Atomic Fireballs.

Bob just came back with lineups so I'll get them to you ASAP.

The Patriot League format is such that Army will be the visiting team in this game.

ARMY
1. Clint Moore, SS
2. Andy Ernesto, CF
3. Cole White, RF
4. Kevin McKague, 1B
5. J.P. Polchinski, 3B
6. Chris Simmons, C
7. Ben Koenigsfeld, DH
8. Kyle Stramara, LF
9. Tony Capozzi, 2B

Pitching game two is lefty Matt Fouch. The firs-team all-leaguer is 5-2 with a 4.58 ERA.

BUCKNELL
1. Ben Allen, SS
2. Dane Grandizio, CF
3. Andrew Brouse, RF
4. Jason Buursma, DH
5. Mark Angelo, 1B
6. Chris Pieper, LF
7. Ed Rubbo, 3B
8. Shawn Hirsch, C
9. Brett Sokirka, 2B

Pitching for the Bison is Dylan Seeley (3-2, 3.78 ERA)

First Inning
Army: Moore strikes out swinging. Ernesto drives one into the gap, but the left fielder tracks it down for the out. White flies out to right. Army goes down in order in the first.

Bucknell: Allen flies to center on the first pitch. Grandizio fouls out to Simmons who makes a nice play while falling down. Brouse grounds out to short. Three up, three down go the Bison.

Second Inning (0-0)
Army: McKague rolls to third. Polchinski grounds out to second. Simmons reaches on an infield single. Koenigsfeld grounds out. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Bucknell: Buursma grounds out to short. Angelo strikes out swinging. Pieper grounds out. Nothing across in the second.

I had no idea this blog thing would lead to so much free food. Matt Fouch's dad, Len who is a regular reader of the blog, is here today and just offered to bring me some goodies from their tailgate. If you're scoring at home today, that's cookies, Atomic Fireballs and a full tailgate spread.

Cole White's dad, Jeff just checked in and was wondering about Knight Vision. For all those interested in how to get on, if you've already purchased a subscription, you can log in right off the front page. Just below the Knight Vision player is a place for your username and password. Once you enter that information, you should be directed to a page with your account information. On the left-hand side of the page is a link for live events. That will bring up today's game. Click on the icon to the right of the game listing and you should be good.

Third Inning (0-0)
Army: Stramara grounds out. Capozzi grounds out. Moore snaps his 0 for 6 today with a blast over the left-center field fence to give Army a 1-0 lead. And I wasn't even working a Fireball. Ernesto draws a walk. White hits a monster drive, but was out in front just a bit too much and hooked it foul. White pops up to right to end the inning. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Bucknell:  Rubbo down on strikes. Hirsch singles for Bucknell's first base runner. Sokirka singles off Fouch's glove. Allen flies deep to center. Hirsch tags up and moves to third with two outs. Grandizio triples over Ernesto's head in left-center, bringing home two runs. Bucknell takes a 2-1 lead. Brouse pops to second. 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

1LT Dave Powell, one of Army's original Hecklers, just wrote in from Ft. Hood, Texas. The Hecklers have been out in full force at times this season. They're here today, but  have been kind of quiet. I know they made their presence known down in Annapolis.

Wow. I just witnessed one of the worst performances of music identification ever. We had two cadets playing a game of Name That Tune between innings for one of our in-game promotions, and neither one got a song. They both had very distinctive beginnings, but I think they may have been too old for the young guys. Anybody in my age range would've known in the first four notes - Def Lepard's "Pour Some Sugar On Me," and Ozzy's "Crazy Train." Right in my wheelhouse.

Navy is trying to rebound from its game one loss. The Mids lead Holy Cross 2-0 in the second inning.

Fourth Inning (Bucknell 2-1)
Army: McKague taps one in front of the plate and Hirsch throws him out. Polchinski skies a ball into short right center. At first, the second baseman called it, then the right fielder called it, then the cener fielder dropped it, and J.P. is standing on second. Simmons hits an absolute missle over the left field fence for his second home run of the day. A definite no-doubter. Army re-takes the lead at 3-2.  Koenigsfeld singles. Stramara pops to right. Koenigsfeld moves to second on a wild pitch. Capozzi hits a cue ball that gets over the pitcher's head and dies in the grass for an infield single. Runners on the corners with two out. Capozzi moves to second on a wild pitch. Moore hits a ball down the right field line that drops in for a two-run double. 5-2 Army. Ernesto smokes a ball to left for an RBI single. 6-2 Black Knights. Bucknell to make a pitching change. Jimmy Murphy now on the hill for the Bison. White singles to keep the rally going. Two on, two out. Wild pitch moves two into scoring position. McKague rifles a single through the left side to score two more and run the lead to 8-2. Polchinski flies to center. 7 runs, 7 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.

Bucknell: Buursma down looking. Angelo dumps a single into center. Pieper hits a ball into the hole at short. Moore makes a nice play to get to it and feeds Capozzi for the force out at second. Rubbo grounds out. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

One of the cadets playing Name That Tune just redeemed himself. They went to the third song, and he got Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" in about three seconds. He must be a Sopranos fan.

Two more e-mails to pass along. Gen. Fred Franks, a loyal reader, just checked in to say he was following along. Also, Dan Pluff, a 2006 grad and former Army reliever, wrote in. Apparently Coach Hamburg is great at Name That Tune. That doesn't surprise me. He has that good Ithaca education after all.

I'm not sure how many people know this, but Coach Sottolano and Coach Hamburg played together in college. In fact, Fritz was Joe's catcher on the Bombers' 1991 national championnship team.

Bad news from the second row of the press tent. The second container of Sharon Moore's cookies has been extinguished.

Bob's daughter, Julia was here before - she must have been the cookie monster. I asked her if she had one, but she lied right to my dang face and said no.

Monte Jones, a 2006 grad and former Black Knight just checked in. He's stationed at Fort Lews in Washington so he's looking for free Mariners tickets from Nick Hill. Nick wrote in earlier today. He's currently pitching in the Mariners' minor league system.

Fifth Inning (Army 8-2)
Army: Simmons grounds out. Koenigsfield chops a single up the middle. Stramara grounds to short, but the hit-and-run was on so the Bison can't turn a double play. Capozzi lines a single up the middle for another Army run. 9-2 Black Knights. Pitching change for the Bison. Trey Frahler now in the game. Moore lines to second. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Bucknell: Hirsch grounds out to second. Sokirka singles on a hard-hit ball of Moore's glove. Allen pops out. Grandizio flies to right. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

I haven't gotten an e-mail in awhile, so I'm forced to do this. Cubs are up 1-0 on an RBI single by Ryan Theriot. That news was very exciting to Adam Moore, one of Army's managers. Adam and Theriot are both from Baton Rouge, and there's some strange connection somewhere down the line. Adam told me once, but I don't exactly remember. It was something along the lines of his friend's cousin's sister's boss knew a guy who cut Theriot's friend's nephew's lawn.

News from Annapolis - Navy is up 5-0 in the second game of its doubleheader. Holy Cross won the first game, 6-0.

Adam, very rudely reading over my shoulder, just informed me that he actually has Ryan Theriot's autograph so at one point, he was actually in his presence.

Bob's got the Yankee game on the radio. I might have to fire up my MLB audio subscription on my laptop and have Ron and Pat drown out Susan Waldman and John Sterling.

Sixth Inning (Army 9-2)
Army: Ernesto flies to center on the first pitch. White shoots a single through the right side. McKague grounds out. White moves up to second. Polchinski joins the fun and belts a two-run home run to right-center. 11-2 Black Knights. Simmons hits a hot shot to third, but Rubbo makes the play and throws him out. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Bucknell: Brouse doubles off the fence in left. Buursma grounds to short. Angelo fouls out to left. Pieper singles to right to drive in a run. 11-3 Army. Polchinski fields a hot shot off the bat of Rubbo and throws him out. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Chad Gibson, the head manager of the squad from 1998-2000, just checked in. In response to your question, Chad, Bob says if we had "Stuck in the Middle With You," he would cue it up.

Bob Beretta is popular today. "Bullet" Bob Behler, the former voice of Bucknell and current voice of  UMass just checked to say hello to Double and let him know he was reading along and watching the Yankee game on TV. Bob is very concerned about the Bullet's well-being. He doesn't want him to pull a hamstring getting out of his recliner.

Seventh Inning (Army 11-3)
Army: Koenigsfeld singles to center. Stramara bloops a single to center. Capozzi tries to bunt the runners over, but David Solan, Bucknell's new pitcher, gets the lead runner at third for the first out. Moore hit by a pitch to load them up. Ernesto grounds into a force out at second, but beats the relay throw to first to drive in a run. 12-3 Black Knights. White pops to first. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.

Bucknell:  Brown pops out. Sokirka grounds out. New pitcher for the Black Knights. Tyler Anderegg now warming up. Fouch goes 6.2 innings, allowing only three runs on seven hits. Allen draws a two-out walk. Grandizio down swining. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

I'm in a bit of a crisis. Army has 11 runs and 15 hits and I have yet to bust open a Fireball this game. I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that the Fireball might be a rally killer. It completely undermines my whole rally-candy belief system.

It appears that, much like Army, Navy's bats have come alive in the second game. The Mids are up 12-0 after getting blanked, 6-0, in game one.

Eighth Inning (Army 12-3)
Army: New pitcher for Bucknell. Andrew Clarke now on the mound. McKague hits it hard, but right at Rubbo who throws him out. Polchinski drills a sharp single to left. Simmons pops to the second baseman who makes an over the shoulder catch down the right-field line. Koenigsfeld flies to right. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Bucknell:  Brouse down on strikes. Buursma grounds out to short. Angelo bounces to McKague who throws to Anderegg covering for the out. Bucknell goes in order.

I have to get rid of these empty cookie containers. They're just sitting here taunting me.

It's the seventh-inning stretch at Wrigley. I guarantee whatever goofy celebrity they have singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" will be better than that polka thing we have playing here. Well, except for this one ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdwOoinuJi0

Ninth Inning (Army 12-3)
Army: Another new hurler for Bucknell. Doug Shribman is the new pitcher. Stramara hit by a pitch. Capozzi pops out. Sokirka ranges behind the second base bag to field Moore's grounder, but can't make the throw in time and Clint is on with a a single. Ernesto grounds into a force out at third. White down on strikes. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.

Bucknell: Pieper bounces to Polchinski at third. Polchinski gobbles up a grounder from Rubbo and throws him out. Brown keeps the inning alive with hit. Sokirka down on strikes. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Good news from Wrigley. About 10 seconds after I rip Daryle Ward for not having much success as a pinch hitter this year, he comes though with an RBI single to tie the game at 2-2 in the seventh. I warned you. No e-mails and you get Cub updates.

My man Adam is beaming with pride as Ryan Theriot just drove in a run to put the Cubs up 4-2. The value of that autograph just went up to $1.75.

I've been soundly corrected. Adam said Theriot's autograph is much more valuable, and he's right. I just found an autographed ball on-line for $79.95. I love The Riot, but no way I'm paying 80 clams for his autograph.

That'll do it as the Black Knights force a deciding game tomorrow at 1 p.m. Matt Fouch the winner, while Dylan Seeley takes the loss. Bucknell scored three runs on eight hits and committed one error. Army gets 12 runs on 17 hits and did not commit an error.

I'm not going to lie, I was hoping for an Army sweep today so I didn't have to come in tomorrow, but I'll take the split.

Thanks for hanging with me today, especially those of you who took the time to write in.

I'll be back tomorrow for game three, as will the tub of Fireballs. I'm still reeling from the fact I didn't have to go to one for game two.

Have a great Saturday night, and GO ARMY!