Army West Point Athletics
Army West Point
37-16, 21-4
Bucknell University (Championships)
23-22-1, 14-11
Black Knights Defeat Bucknell in Game 1 of the Patriot League Championships
May 21, 2023 | Baseball
WEST POINT, N.Y.– The Army West Point baseball team (37-16, 21-4 PL) defeated the Bucknell Bison (23-22-1, 14-11, PL) 20-5 Saturday afternoon in Game 1 of the Patriot League Championships. Army's Sam Ruta batted 3-6 with a grand slam, a double, five RBIs, and three runs.
How it Happened
Bucknell attacked Army starter Matthew Ronnebaum (W, 7-4) in the top of the first. Jacob Corson hit a solo home run to right field with one out, giving the Bison a 1-0 lead. With two outs, Sean Keys walked, putting a runner on first. Army retired the side with a fly-out.
In the bottom of the first, the Black Knights threatened Bucknell's starter Chris DiFiore (L, 6-6). Kevin Dubrule hit a single up the middle with two outs, putting a runner on first.
The Bison got out in order in the top of the second.
In the top of the second Junior Braden Golinski made it a 1-1 game after hitting a leadoff home run to left field. With two outs, Addison Ainsworth ripped a to center field, putting a runner on first. The Bison cleared the side with fly-out.
With one out in the top of the third, Anthony Sherwin hit a single to second, putting a runner on first. Corson ripped a single to center field, advancing Sherwin to second, putting a runner in scoring position. Grant Voytovich gave Bucknell a 2-1 lead, after hitting an RBI single to left field, advancing Corson to second, and sending Sherwin in to score. Sean Keys was hit by a pitch, loading the bases. Tyler Dunn hit a sacrifice fly to center field, sending Corson across the plate, making it a 3-1 lead. Army retired the side with a fly-out.
The bats exploded for the Black Knights in the bottom of the third. Leadoff hitter Derek Berg ripped a single to left field, putting a runner on first. Sam Ruta hit a double through the right side, and Berg advanced to third, putting runners on the corners. Senior Kevin Dubrule ripped a double through the left side, sending Berg and Ruta in to score, making it a 3-3 game. Ross Friedrick ripped a single to right center, sending Dubrule across the plate, giving Army a 4-3 lead. Golinksi hit a single to right field, advancing Friedrick to second, putting a runner in scoring position. The Black Knights loaded the bases after Coleson Titus hit a single to right field.
Will Greer came in to pitch relief for Chris DiFiore. With one out, Addison Ainsworth walked, bringing Friedrick across the plate, making it a 5-3 game. Freshman Chris Barr ripped a two-RBI single up the middle, advancing Ainsworth to second, Golinski and Titus came in to score, giving the Black Knights a 7-3 game. Berg was hit by a pitch, loading the bases. Junior Sam Ruta blasted a grand slam to left field, making it an 11-3 game. Hadley Maxwell came in to pitch relief for Will Greer. Dubrule walked, putting a runner on first. Maxwell ended the inning with a double play.
The Bison fought back in the top of the fifth. With one out, Voytovich hit a single to Dubrule, putting a runner on first. Sean Keys hit a two-run home run to center field, making it an 11-5 game. With two outs, Billy Kender walked, putting a runner on first. The Black Knights retired the side with a fly-out.
Army threatened to extend its lead in the bottom of the fifth. Berg walked, putting a runner on first. Berg advanced to second on a throwing error by Maxwell, putting a runner in scoring position. Bucknell cleared the side with a fly-out, a ground out, and a Friedrick lining out to Kender.
In the top of the sixth, the Bison threatened the Black Knights. With one out, Kyle Lyons ripped a single to Friedrick, putting a runner on first. Sherwin ripped a single to right field, and Lyons advanced to third, putting runners on the corners. Corson walked, advancing Sherwin to second, loading the bases. With two outs, Sean Dennehy came in to pitch relief for Matthew Ronnebaum. Dennehy retired the side with a fly-out.
The Black Knights dominated the Bison in the bottom of the seventh. Leadoff hitter Chris Barr walked, putting a runner on first. Barr advanced to second on a passed ball, putting a runner in scoring position. Berg walked, putting runners on first and second. Jacob Terwilliger came in to pitch relief for Hadley Maxwell. Ruta ripped a single to center field, advancing to second on an error by Kyle Lyons, advancing Berg to third, and sending Barr across the plate, making it a 12-5 game. Kevin Dubrule hit a two-RBI double down the left field line, sending Ruta and Berg in to score, making it a 14-5 game. With a runner on second, Golinski walked, putting runners on first and second. Army put two runners in scoring position after Dubrule advanced to third on a throwing error, and Golinski advanced to second on the throw. Titus walked, loading the bases. Freshman Ethan Ellis ripped a two-RBI single to left field, advancing Titus to second, and sending Golinski and Dubrule in to score, giving Army a commanding 16-5 lead. Addison Ainsworth hit an RBI double through the left side, advancing Ellis to third, and sending Titus across the plate, making it a 17-5 game. The Black Knights made it an 18-5 game after Ellis came in to score after Barr hit a sacrifice fly to center field, advancing Ainsworth to third. Berg reached first on an error by second baseman Billy Kender, Ainsworth came in to score, giving Army a 19-5 lead. The Bison retired the side with a groundout.
In the top of the eighth, Bret Copeland came into the game for Chris Barr and Tyler Prichard came in to pitch relief for Sean Dennehy.
Jacob Corson hit a single to Dubrule with one out, putting a runner on first. Mason Kelly came in to pinch-hit for Grant Voytovich. Corson advanced to second on a wild pitch, putting a runner in scoring position. Kelly grounded out to Dubrule, advancing Corson to third. Sean Keys walked, putting runners on the corners. Dunn reached on a fielder's choice, Keys was tagged out at second, clearing the side.
Kelly went into right field for Voytovich.
With one out in the bottom of the eighth, Ross Friedrick blasted a solo home run to left field, making it a 20-5 game. Braden Golinski ripped a double down the right field line, putting a runner in scoring position. Bennett Smith came in to pinch-hit for Coleson Titus. Smith popped up to Kender, and Golinski was tagged out at second, ending the inning.
With one out in the top of the ninth, Graeme Carroll walked, putting a runner on first. Jake Wortman reached on a fielder's choice; Carroll was tagged out at second by Bret Copeland. Ben Sinins came into pinch hit for Jake Wortman. The Black Knights secured the win after Sinins flew out to left field.
Inside the Box
- Army starter Matthew Ronnebaum (7-4) got the win, working 5.2 innings, allowing 9 hits, and 5 runs, while striking out six, and walking 4.
- Sam Ruta batted 3-6, with a grand slam, a double, 5 RBIs, and 3 runs.
- Senior Kevin Dubrule batted 3-5, having 2 doubles, 4 RBIs, and 2 runs.
- Relief pitcher Sean Dennehy pitched 1.1 inning, allowing no hits or runs, and walked 3.
- Ross Friedrick had 2 hits, with a home run, 2 RBIs, and 2 runs.
- Junior Braden Golinski batted 3-5 having a home run, a double, an RBI, and 3 runs.
- Tyler Prichard went 2.0 innings, allowing 1 hit no runs, and had no strikeouts, while walking 2.
- Addison Ainsworth batted 2-3 with a double, 2 RBIs, and 2 runs.
- Freshman Chris Barr had a hit, 3 RBIs, and 2 runs.
- Bucknell starter Chris DiFiore (6-6) got the loss, working 2.0 innings, allowing 9 hits, and 7 runs, and had no walks or strikeouts.
- Will Greer pitched 0.1 inning, allowing 2 hits, and 4 runs, while striking out 1, and walked 1.
- Relief pitcher Hadley Maxwell worked 3.2 innings, allowing 2 hits, and 2 runs, while striking out 1 and walking 5.
Up Next
Army will return to Doubleday Field on May 22 for Game 2 of the Patriot League Championship, with first pitch at 1:00 p.m.
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.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Ronnebaum, Matthew (7-4)
L: Chris DiFiore (6-6)
Batting:
HR: Jacob Corson 1 ; Sean Keys 1
RBI: Jacob Corson 1 ; Grant Voytovich 1 ; Sean Keys 2 ; Tyler Dunn 1
SF: Tyler Dunn 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Anthony Sherwin 1 ; Jacob Corson 2 ; Grant Voytovich 1 ; Sean Keys 1
HBP: Sean Keys 1
Batting:
2B: Ruta, Sam 1 ; Dubrule, Kevin 2 ; Golinski, Braden 1 ; Ainsworth, Addison 1
HR: Ruta, Sam 1 ; Friedrick, Ross 1 ; Golinski, Braden 1
RBI: Ruta, Sam 5 ; Dubrule, Kevin 4 ; Friedrick, Ross 2 ; Golinski, Braden 1 ; Ellis, Ethan 2 ; Ainsworth, Addison 2 ; Barr, Chris 3
SF: Barr, Chris 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Berg, Derek 3 ; Ruta, Sam 3 ; Dubrule, Kevin 2 ; Friedrick, Ross 2 ; Golinski, Braden 3 ; Titus, Coleson 2 ; Ellis, Ethan 1 ; Ainsworth, Addison 2 ; Barr, Chris 2
HBP: Berg, Derek 1
