Baseball Trades Wins with Bucknell

Saturday, April 30

West Point, NY

1 PM

Army West Point

21-19, 14-5

Bucknell

18-22, 10-8

BUCKNELL

Army

Baseball Trades Wins with Bucknell

April 30, 2022 | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

WEST POINT, N.Y. – The Army West Point baseball team won its first game against Bucknell 3-1 before dropping the second 9-5 in a Patriot League doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Johnson Stadium.

As the regular season wraps up, the Black Knights (21-20, 14-6 PL) are closing in on clinching a spot in the conference postseason tournament. Army, which currently sits at the top of the league standings, will look to do so during Sunday's rubber match against the Bison (19-22, 14-10 PL).

Army 3, Bucknell 1
A three-run second inning was the difference in the Black Knights' first win, as the teams combined for a total of nine hits in a game that lacked offensive action.

Though Bucknell was first to get on the board, plating a two-out run in the top of the first, it was the visitors' only run of the day as starting arm Connelly Early went on to toss five scoreless frames. In his six-inning start, he scattered four hits while striking out a career-high nine batters and picked up his fifth win of the year to improve to 5-3.

Early was one of two arms that made appearances, as the Cadets used Tanner Gresham to record the final three outs. The closer retired all three Bison he faced to collect his fourth save.

Army scored its first run of the day in the bottom of the second when Cam Cerruto drove in Nick Manesis with an RBI single. After Derek Berg scored the go-ahead run on a Bison error, Braden Golinski plated Cerruto with an RBI single that lifted the team to its three-run total.

The Black Knights had just two runners reach down the stretch and though Bucknell got runners aboard in each inning between the third and sixth, the team was unable to bring anyone home.

Dubrule finished the outing with a team-high two hits and Army completed seven frames with five total.

Bucknell 9, Army 5
Army's 3-0 lead that the team earned in the bottom of the first was its largest advantage of the second game, as Bucknell went on to claim victory by outscoring the home team 9-2 down the stretch.

The Black Knights' early scoring began when Dubrule ripped a single through the left side that plated Berg. Sam Ruta then scored on a wild pitch before Dubrule capped off the spree when he came home on a Manesis single, helping the Cadets jump ahead.

The Bison responded by tagging starting arm Robbie Buecker with a solo shot and a two-run homer that tied things up in the top of the third. Though the Cadets regained the advantage in the bottom of the frame when Dubrule came in on a Bucknell error, it was Army's last lead of the day.

Over the course of the next three innings, Bucknell scored six runs to overtake the Black Knights. Relievers Matthew Ronnebaum, Teddy Lepcio and Trevor Finan were all on the hook during the stretch. Braden Golinski was credited with the final run of the game, as he belted out a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth, but Army's offense went cold in the final few frames.

Mike Ruggieri, who tossed the last inning, was the only Army pitcher to emerge from the game unscathed. He faced two over the minimum and recorded all three outs on strikes. Buekcer was hit with the loss, moving him to 1-4 on the year.

What's Next
Army and Bucknell will close out the series with a 1 p.m. finale on Sunday, May 1 at Johnson Stadium. The action will be carried on ESPN+.

Follow Along
For complete coverage of Army West Point Baseball, follow the Black Knights on Twitter and Instagram at @ArmyWP_Baseball and online at www.goarmywestpoint.com.