LEWISBURG, Pa. — The Holy Cross baseball team split a Patriot League series against Bucknell on Sunday, March 27.

After falling in Game 1, the Crusaders held off a late comeback attempt by the Bison to earn a Game 2 victory.

GAME ONE:
Bucknell 6, Holy Cross 1

STATS LEADERS:
Holy Cross:
Kirkpatrick (1-for-2, double, run scored)
Cooney (1-for-3, RBI)

Bucknell:
Lowery (2-for-2, two runs scored)
Dunn (1-for-3, triple, three RBI)
Odell (W, 7.0 IP, one earned run, five strikeouts)

W: Odell (3-2)
L: Mudd (1-3)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Bucknell took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning after Tyler Dunn hit a bases-clearing triple.
• Sophomore second baseman Sam Kirkpatrick led off the second with a double, and came around to score on an RBI single from freshman center fielder Connor Cooney.
• The Bison tacked on another run in the fourth inning after a wild pitch.
• An RBI single and a bases-loaded walk tacked on two more runs in the sixth for the Bison, giving them a 6-1 lead.

GAME TWO:
Holy Cross 7, Bucknell 6

STATS LEADERS:
Holy Cross:
Scanlon (2-for-4, home run, two runs scored, two RBI)
Casserly (2-for-4, two RBI)
Wang (1-for-4, double, run scored, RBI)
Chudy (5.0 IP, one run, four hits, five strikeouts)
D'Acunto (1-for-4, home run)

Bucknell:
Lowery (3-for-5, double, RBI)
Voytovich (2-for-5, double, two runs scored, two RBI)
Dunn (2-for-3, double, two RBI)

W: Chudy (2-1)
L: Magovern (1-3)
S: Scanlon (1)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Crusaders jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the top of the first inning. Freshman designated hitter Sean Scanlon and Kirkpatrick hit back-to-back singles, and Kirkpatrick was driven home on a single to right by Cooney. Sophomore first baseman Patrick Casserly followed with a two-run single to left to build a three-run advantage for the Crusaders early.
• The Bison got a run back in the bottom of the first when Grant Voytovich hit an RBI double.
• Holy Cross continued to press in the second inning. With two outs, freshman second baseman Brendan Jones drew a walk, and freshman third baseman Nick Wang doubled him home. Scanlon then hit a two-run homer to extend the lead to 6-1.
• Senior catcher Angelo D'Acunto hit a solo homer to make it a 7-1 game in the top of the seventh inning.
• Bucknell began to chip away at the Holy Cross advantage in the bottom of the seventh, using a two-run double and RBI single to cut within 7-4. Another run scored off a fielder's choice in the eighth, making it a 7-5 game.
• The Bison continued to push in the bottom of the ninth, putting a pair of runners on the corners with two out. An error scored another Bucknell run, however, a stellar catch by sophomore right fielder Jake McElroy robbed the Bison of a base hit and ended the game.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:

• Scanlon is the third Crusader to have hit multiple home runs this year; he hit his first collegiate home run against Navy on Saturday. Scanlon also extended his hitting streak to seven games; he is batting .407 in that span.
• D'Acunto became the seventh Holy Cross player to hit a home run this season. Only seven players hit a home run for the Crusaders during the entire 2021 season.

DUE UP:

• The Crusaders return home for a midweek matchup against Harvard on Tuesday, March 29.
• First pitch is set for 5 p.m. at Fitton Field.

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