TOWSON, Md. - Senior rightfielder Andy Brouse had three base hits, including a pair of solo home runs, as Bucknell University (14-22) clouted five home runs to snap a three-game losing streak with a 12-3 non-conference victory over Towson University (10-24) at John B. Schuerholz Park on Wednesday afternoon.
The Bison collected out 16 base hits off eight Tiger pitchers en route to the win.
Brouse, who leads the Bison with 11 home runs, belted solo homers in the fifth inning and the seventh inning. Junior first baseman Doug Shribman blasted a two-run homer to left in the third inning while junior leftfielder Drew Constable hit a solo homer in the second. Senior catcher B.J. LaRosa led off a four-run fifth inning with a solo home run.
The two teams combined to use 15 pitchers in the game. Towson employed eight pitchers while Bucknell had seven pitchers take the mound.
The Tigers took a quick 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Sophomore centerfielder Ben Winter led off the inning when he banged a triple off the rightfield fence. Junior shortstop Nick Natoli drove in Winter with a single to centerfield, giving Towson a 1-0 advantage only two batters into the game.
Making the second start of his career, freshman righthander Marcus Garone helped his own cause when he picked Natoli off first base for the first out. However, he walked senior rightfielder Kevin Collins to keep the Tigers' inning alive. After retiring senior first baseman Steve Yarsinsky on a long fly ball to centerfield, he pitched out of the inning when he caught Collins leaning the wrong way and picked him off first base, giving him two pickoffs in one inning.
After retiring Bucknell in order in the first inning, freshman righthander Mike Volpe ran into trouble in the second inning. With one out, Constable tied the game when he clouted an opposite field home run just inside the rightfield foul pole. It was his fourth homer of the season.
Sophomore centerfielder Bob Donato followed the home run with a double to left field. When sophomore designated hitter Scott Reed reached base on an infield single, the Bison had runners at first and third base. Sophomore third baseman David Duffett hit a fly ball to short rightfield for the second out. But the ball was not deep enough for Donato to tag up and score. Volpe escaped the jam when he retired freshman second baseman Robb Scott on a ground ball to shortstop.
After Garone retired the Tigers in order in the second inning, Bucknell took a 3-1 lead in the top of the third inning. With one out, LaRosa drew a walk on a 3-2 pitch. After Volpe retired Brouse on a pop foul, Shribman lined his seventh home run of the season over the leftfield fence, giving the Bison a 3-1 advantage.
Bucknell missed a great chance to increase its lead in the fourth inning. Facing junior righthander Tyler Bugna, Donato led off with a single. When Reed drew a walk, the Bison had two runners on base. A sacrifice bunt by Duffett moved both runners into scoring position. However, Bugna retired Scott on a ground ball to third base. He pitched out of the jam by getting senior shortstop Ben Allen to ground out to first base.
Facing senior righthander Nate Curd in the fifth inning, the Bison bats came alive. LaRosa started the uprising when he blasted his second home run of the season over the leftfield fence to make it a 4-1 lead. Moments later, Brouse lined his tenth homer of the season over the left field fence for a 5-1 advantage.
With one out, Curd walked Constable to keep the rally going. Donato just missed hitting a home run as he doubled off the top of the rightfield fence, putting two runners in scoring position. Pinch hitter Travis Clark lined a double to left centerfield, scoring two more runs to increase the lead to 7-1. After a single by Duffett put runners at first and third base, Curd was relieved by freshman righthander Sean Thompson. Thompson retired the next two hitters to end the rally.
After being held to three hits through the first four innings, the Tigers broke through in the bottom of the fifth inning. With one out, junior third baseman Austin Harclerode lined a single to centerfield. Junior designated hitter Steve Rice advanced Harclerode to third base when he doubled off the left centerfield fence. However, junior lefthander Matt Foley held the Tigers to one run as he retired the next two batters. Sophomore catcher Brian Wyman grounded out to second base as Harclerode scored to cut the lead to 7-2. Then, Allen made a nice play on a grounder up the middle to retire Natoli for the third out.
With one out in the sixth inning, the Bison rallied to put the game out of reach. Brouse started a four-run rally when he singled to rightfield. After Shribman was retired on a popup, Constable drew a walk on four pitches. When Donato singled to left center, Brouse scored to give the Bison an 8-2 lead. Clark increased the lead to 9-2 with his second double of the game, a shot down the left field line. Bucknell added an unearned run when Harclerode made an error on a ground ball by Duffett as Donato gave Bucknell a 10-2 lead. After sophomore Tyler Austin relieved Thompson, the Bison pulled off a delayed double steal as Clark scored. Pinch hitter Matt Busch drew a walk before Austin retired Allen on a ground ball to first base, ending the inning.
Trailing by 11-2 in the sixth inning, the Tigers made an attempt to get back in the game. With one out, pinch hitter Brady Baxter singled to centerfield. Yarsinsky followed with a single to left, extending his hitting streak to 22 games. Yarsinsky's 22-game hitting streak is tied for the third-longest streak in Tiger baseball history.
Both runners moved up a base on a wild pitch. Junior second baseman Chris Wychock made a strong bid for a home run but Donato caught his long fly ball at the fence. Baxter scored on the sacrifice fly, cutting the deficit to 11-3. However, pinch hitter Cody Reeves struck out to end the rally.
With one out in the seventh inning, Brouse closed out the scoring when he smashed a monstrous home run over the centerfield fence to give Bucknell a 12-3 lead.
Donato led the Bison with four hits, including a pair of doubles. He scored two runs and had one RBI. Brouse had three hits, scored three runs and added two RBI's. Constable reached base four times as he contributed two hits and walked twice. He scored three runs and drove in a run. Clark went two-for-two with a pair of doubles. He had three RBI's.
Garone earned the first win of his college career with a strong starting effort. In three innings, he allowed one run on three hits with one walk and one strikeout. Foley pitched two innings of relief and gave up one run on two hits.
The seven pitchers used by Coach Gene DePew allowed seven hits and three runs. They walked three batters and had four strikeouts.
Winter led the Tigers with two hits and one run scored.
Volpe suffered the loss for the Tigers. In three innings of work, he allowed three runs on four hits with one walk and no strikeouts. Bugna pitched one inning of scoreless relief while senior lefthander Wes Shifflett did an excellent job out of the bullpen. Shifflett retired all four batters he faced and struck out two of them.
In addition to allowing 16 hits, Tiger pitchers walked six batters in the loss.
For the Tigers, it marked their fourth consecutive loss at Schuerholz Park. Towson started the season by winning its first five home games.
The Tigers return to Colonial Athletic Association action this weekend when they travel to the University of Delaware for a three-game weekend series against the Blue Hens.
