Bucknell University scored eight runs over the first three innings on Wednesday afternoon on the way to an 8-5 baseball victory over the University of Maine at Chain O’ Lakes Park in Winter Haven, Florida.
The Bison (7-4) jumped on Black Bears started Luke Morrill of South Thomaston for five hits and four earned runs in the first 1⅔ innings to put UMaine (5-13) in a hole.
Joe Ogren singled three times and drove in a run to pace Bucknell, while Brett Smith doubled and singled with two RBIs. Jake Archey doubled and singled and Sam Clark singled and knocked in three runs.
Reliever Mike Castellani (1-0) scattered two hits and a single run over 4⅓ innings to pick up the victory. He struck out and and did not walk a batter.
Morrill sparked UMaine (5-13) with two singles and two RBIs. Sam Balzano posted two singles, while Brett Chappell and Bobby Brennan each stroked a single and drove in a run.
Logan Fullmer was outstanding in relief for the Black Bears, holding the Bison scoreless by spreading out three hits over 5⅔ innings with three strikeouts and no walks.
Trailing 2-1, Bucknell surged into the lead for good with a four-run second inning. Archey doubled with one out, then Greg Wasikowski walked. Both rode home on Smith’s double to right field.
One out later, Ogren single and Clark doubled to push two more runs across, chasing Morrill in favor of Connor Johnson.
The Bison made it 8-2 in the third inning. Archey started the rally with a single, Wasikowski singled and Smith walked. Fullmer came on to induce a run-scoring fielder’s choice and surrendered an RBI single off the bat of Ogren.
The Black Bears got on the board in the first on Morrill’s RBI single and added a run in the second when Brenden Geary singled, moved up on a wild pitch and a Brian Doran single, and scored on Brennan’s sac fly.
UMaine scored twice in the fifth against Bucknell starter Mike Korchak. Shane Bussey reached on an error, Balzano single and both moved up on a wild pitch.
One out later, a wild pitch plated the first run and Morrill stroked an RBI single to cut the deficit to 8-4.
The Bears added a run in the seventh when Brennan and Bussey singled and advanced on Balzano’s sacrifice bunt. Brett Chappell delivered a run with a sacrifice fly, but Castellani struck out Morrill to escape further damage.