Baseball Walks off No. 2 Bucknell in First Game of Patriot League Championship

Tuesday, May 24

West Point, NY

1 PM

Army West Point

30-21

Bucknell

21-25

BUCKNELL

Army

Baseball Walks off No. 2 Bucknell in First Game of Patriot League Championship

May 24, 2022 | Baseball

Box Score Photo Gallery

WEST POINT, N.Y. – A sacrifice fly off the bat of Cam Cerruto delivered the winning run in the bottom of the ninth as the top-seeded Army West Point baseball team defeated No. 2 Bucknell by a score of 8-7 in the first game of the Patriot League Championship series.

The Black Knights (30-21) were unable to take any lead over the Bison (21-25) until their final heroic effort. The team was trailing 7-5 heading into the last frame, though in good position to rally as the middle of the order was due up. Army used back-to-back RBI singles from Nick Manesis and Ross Friedrick to knot up the score before Cerruto drove in the game-winning tally when he skied a ball out to left field. No outs were recorded during the three-run spree, which helped the Cadets inch their way closer to their fourth-straight conference title.

Bucknell was in control for most of the meeting and led by as much as 4-0 early on. In the top of the second, the team used a trio of bunts to take a 2-0 lead before using a walk and an error to add an additional two scores in the top of the fourth.

Following a few quiet innings, Army's offense got going in the bottom of the fourth when Manesis led off with a single. After Friedrick drew a walk to join him on the base paths, the two came in to score on Derek Berg's knock, which cut the visitors' lead in half. Bucknell's starter Will Greer had trouble with his command during the frame, as he plunked two different batters. One of the costly pitches was issued in a bases-loaded situation, allowing Army to trim the score to 4-3, before a fielder's choice tied the teams up at 4-4.

Over the next two innings, the Bison used another Cadet miscue and a leadoff walk to regain the advantage at 6-4 before the Black Knights worked the deficit back down to one run in the bottom of the sixth when Ruta plated Hunter Meade with a two-out single charged to a reliever.

Starting arm Connelly Early recorded the first two outs of the seventh on strikes before handing the ball over to Steven Graver, who entered the game with runners on the corners. Though he was able to get out of that jam, Graver did give up a run in the eighth when the Bison capitalized on another leadoff walk.

Up 7-5, Bucknell threatened to do further damage in the top of the ninth when a two-out single put a runner on, but Army called on Sean Dennehy to record the final out and he did so by taking a Bison down looking.

Dennehy (5-2), who was credited with the win, set the stage for the Black Knights' offense and it came through with the team's first walk-off victory of the year.

BLACK KNIGHTS WIN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!#GOARMY #BEATBUCKNELL pic.twitter.com/EqBqGZjnrX
— Army Baseball (@ArmyWP_Baseball) May 24, 2022

What's Next
Army and Bucknell will return to Johnson Stadium for a 1 p.m. game on Wednesday, May 25. Should the Black Knights win the contest, which will be carried on ESPN+, they will secure the Patriot League's automatic bid to the 2022 NCAA Tournament. If Bucknell wins, the teams will reconvene at Doubleday Field for a 1 p.m. series finale on Thursday, May 26.

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.