FROM CBB NEWS SOURCES
ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Senior Ed Rubbo (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge) dropped the game-winning single just inside the right field line with two out in the bottom of the ninth, helping the Bucknell baseball team claim the 2008 Patriot League title with an 8-7 come-from-behind victory over Navy in game two of the best-of-three Patriot League Championship series. Bucknell will now earn an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament, which will begin on May 30.
Senior Jason Buursma (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside School), who slid into home for the deciding run on Rubbo’s single, was named the Patriot League Tournament MVP, becoming the fourth player in program history to earn the award. Buursma was also the winning pitcher in the contest, entering the game in the ninth and retiring all three batters he faced in order. Buursma collected all four of the Bison’s postseason wins as he went 4-0 in the PL tournament with a 0.00 ERA in 10 innings on the mound and allowed only three hits over his four relief outings. His four victories also propelled him into first in the Bucknell record book for wins in a season as he is now 9-3 on the year.
Joining Buursma on the Patriot League All-Tournament Team were Rubbo, sophomore Ben Allen (Port Royal, Pa./Juniata) and senior Shawn Hirsch (Morristown, N.J./Morristown). Hirsch led the Bison in hitting in the PL Tournament, going 10-for-17 for a .588 average in five postseason games. Allen followed right behind Hirsch, hitting 9-for-21 in the tournament (.429).
Bucknell captured its fourth Patriot League title, with the other three coming in 1996, 2001 and 2003. The Bison played in the NCAA Regionals in each of those seasons — at Florida in 1996, at Miami in 2001 and at Texas in 2003 — and now they have secored a league-record fourth NCAA trip.
Bucknell will learn its NCAA Tournament destination on Monday, May 26, when pairings are announced during the NCAA selection show at 12:30 p.m. on ESPN.
Navy wasted no time getting on the board as Michael Speciale sent his 10th home run of the season over the right field fence with two down in the first after Thomas Hamilton nubbed a single to right. The Mids then moved the score to 3-0 in the second, adding a run on a sacrifice fly by Nick Driscoll that plated Steven Soares who walked earlier in the frame.
In the top of the fourth, a leadoff walk to Kendall Bolt resulted in a fourth Navy run as Bolt stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and came home on an RBI groundout by Soares.
Bucknell managed to take two of the runs back in the bottom of the fourth. Sophomore Andrew Brouse (Kreamer, Pa./Midd-West) hustled out a ground ball to third for an infield single and the next batter, Hirsch ripped a triple to the gap in left center to drive him in. Rubbo then came up with a sacrifice fly to score Hirsch.
However, the Mids responded by stretching their lead back out to four with two in its next turn at bat. Renaldo Hollins led off with a walk and crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly by Speciale, while Jonathan Wright knocked in Hamilton with a shot up the middle, bringing the score to 6-2.
Then in the sixth, Navy made it a five-run game. With two out, Hollins reached with a double and Hamilton’s line drive single to center brought him home.
The Bison crept back to within 7-4 after batting in the bottom half of the inning. Buursma led off with a home run, his 12th of the year to move into a tie with Kevin Silverman for second on Bucknell’s single season list. Sophomore John Avanzino (Manhasset, N.Y./Manhasset) followed up with a single to left center and Brouse, who reached on a fielder’s choice was driven in courtesy of a pinch-hit single to center by senior Austin Turban (Northfield, Ill./New Trier).
Reminiscent of Bucknell’s late-inning comeback from a 6-1 deficit in game one, the squad rallied to tie the score at seven with three in the eighth. Avanzino led off with a triple, Brouse walked and Hirsch rocketed a two-run double off the right field fence to score the pair. Rubbo sacrificed Hirsch over to third with a bunt down the first base line and Allen tied the score at seven with a sacrifice fly that brought home Hirsch.
After Buursma retired the Navy side in order in the top of the ninth, Buursma started off the second half of the frame with a single to left for the Bison. Senior Chris Pieper (Port Washington, N.Y./Schreiber) then executed a successful sacrifice to move Buursma into scoring position. Following an intentional walk to Hirsch, Rubbo sent a 1-0 pitch into right to score Buursma and bring the final score to 8-7.
Mark McCoy took the loss (6-5) for Navy as he allowed four runs on five hits in 3.1 innings on the mound with two walks and no strikeouts.
Hirsch led the Bison at the plate, going 3-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored. Rubbo hit 1-for-3 and contributed two RBI.
