Baseball splits series with Bulldogs

Anslee Krouch, Contributing Writer

Game series against Yale on March 26-27 with an all-around strong showing at the plate and an outstanding performance by Patriot League Rookie of the Week, Jack Grabek ’19. In the first game, the Bison lost 5-4 despite their 4-2 lead at the end of the fourth. Five different Bison had multiple hits over the course of the game, with someone on base every inning. The hot bats came from players Brett Smith ’17, Sam Clark ’17, Joe Ogren ’16, and Spencer Stokes ’16.

Leading 7-0 from the start of the second game, the Bison ended the first day on a positive note. Yale closed the gap to one run in the top of the fifth, but the Bison quickly answered with three runs. The final two innings were scoreless for the Bulldogs as Danny Rafferty ’17 closed with four strikeouts. Mike Castellani ’17 and Max Kra ’16 also contributed on the mound for the Bison.

Smith continued his 12-game hitting streak with four scored runs and two RBIs. Stokes scored two runs and had three RBIs. Clark and Ogren had three RBIs each. To start game two, the first seven hitters reached base. Stokes, Clark, and Alex O’Neill all had RBI singles. Smith had a single as well as a two-run triple. Ogren also had an RBI double. In the seventh, Luke Johnson ’18 had a sac fly and two-out RBI single. Rafferty had three hits and three runs on the day.

The Bison could not win the series and had a tough 10-0 loss in the third game on March 27. The Bulldogs only gave up one single to Clark in the fifth inning. Rafferty was also walked in the fourth, but Yale closed the door on a double play to stop any rally.

The freshmen stole game four as Grabek pitched 8.1 scoreless innings and Jeff Gottesman ’19 got the final two outs. The Orange and Blue beat Yale 5-0 in the final game of the series. Grabek struck out six Bulldogs, and his only walk was in the eighth inning. Grabek had the crowd on its feet as he left the field in the eighth inning after a masterful pitching performance. Stokes and Jon Mayer ’16 had RBI singles in the first, Ogren drove in a run in the third, Smith scored on a wild pitch following a lead-off triple in the seventh, and Mike Korchak ’18 hit a home run in the sixth.

We had a good weekend against Yale and we are starting in the right direction. The great thing about Patriot League play is that it is a fresh start, these are games that matter and we are in a good place to get rolling,” Ogren said. 

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