Page Homers Twice as Baseball Splits with Bucknell

Sunday, April 10

West Point, NY

4 PM

Army West Point

12-20, 3-5

Bucknell

14-20, 5-3

Bucknell

Army West Point

Page Homers Twice as Baseball Splits with Bucknell

April 10, 2016 | Baseball

Box Score

WEST POINT, N.Y. – Senior center fielder Jacob Page hit solo home runs in the sixth and eighth innings to give Army a 3-2 victory in the series finale against Bucknell, earning a split in the doubleheader and series with the Bison on Sunday from Doubleday Field.

"Nothing changed from my approach in the at-bat in the eighth," said Page. "Every time, we focus on having a middle backside approach. It's all about identifying the pitch, trusting your hands and not doing too much with your body. The credit is due to this coaching staff working on it with us every day."

Daniel Burggraaf was dealing early on, striking out five Bison (14-20, 5-3 PL) through the first three innings with three of them looking.

"Our pitching staff has been doing well once we get into these conference games," said head coach Matt Reid. "Against a very good team like this you've got to keep locating your pitches, keep the ball down in the zone and play good defense. We were able to play better defense today than we have been, so we have to keep that up."

Center fielder Brett Smith led off the game for Bucknell by reaching on an error, but was thrown out by Jon Rosoff in his attempt to steal second. Bucknell would get a base hit from its two-hole hitter, but a strikeout and a fielder's choice would end the opening frame.

Army (12-20, 3-5 PL) got two runners on with two outs in the home half of the inning, but would not be able to bring them around to score. Kris Lindner started the inning with a single to left field, and Rosoff reached due to being hit by a pitch.

The Bison would threaten in the second inning as a leadoff walk followed by a double put two runners in scoring position with no outs. Burggraaf was able to bear down after that, however, getting a pair of strikeouts before David Monge ranged over to the Army bullpen from right field to record the final out of the inning. The Belfair, Wash., native continued that streak by starting off his third inning of work with two more strikeouts before issuing a free pass.

Lindner knocked his second hit of the game into center field with one out for Army, with Monge reaching base on a full count walk. The threat would end there, however, as a 5-4-3 double play would bring the inning to a close.

Back-to-back hits by Bucknell the following inning would once again put ducks on the pond for the visitors from the Lewisburg, Pa., with one out. First baseman Ryan Levenhagen made a run-saving stop for the second out of the inning. The senior came up with a diving stop before firing home to Rosoff to retire Jon Mayer.

Tommy Pennington stepped up to the plate next and broke the scoreless tie with a single to center field.

Army responded in the home half of the inning to tie the game. Trey Martin singled in Rosoff to bring the score even after Rosoff led off the frame with a single of his own.
Bucknell had an answer, however, as a single by Sam Clark brought Joe Ogren around to score following his one-out walk. The Black Knights were looking for another response, but fell 90 feet shy of tying the game. Lindner reached on a one-out walk before advancing to third on a wild pitch and a ground out.

Cam Opp, who came in relief of Burggraaf in the fifth, retired four of the first five batters he faced. He utilized his defense behind him, using a couple of fielder's choices to get out of the sixth after allowing a leadoff bunt single.

Jacob Page knotted the game at two in the bottom of the inning with a solo shot over the left field wall.

Justin French came on in relief for the final three innings of the game, dealing out just one hit in his longest appearance of the season.

Army was in position to take its first lead of the night cap following the seventh inning stretch, but squandered a bases loaded, one out opportunity. Josh White started the rally by legging out an infield single with one out before Lindner's second walk in as many plate appearances. A wild pitch and another walk loaded the bases full of Black Knights, but reliever Connor Van Hoose got a strikeout and a groundout to preserve the stalemate.

With one out in the bottom of the eighth, Page reentered the batter's box looking to do some damage. He did just that, producing what would turn out to be the game-winning hit in the form of his second homer in as many at bats. This time, the senior from Wilson, N.C., belted the ball over the 370-foot sign in left center field to take a 3-2 lead.

"It was a good team win because we all stayed together," commented Reid. "At the end, you've got to be a tough team, and I believe that's what we've got here."

"This win was a huge momentum builder and a big credit to the adversity this team has battled through," Page added

The Black Knights will conclude their 11-game home stand on Tuesday, April 12, as Manhattan comes to town for a 3:30 p.m. opening pitch.

For more information on Army West Point baseball, visit GoArmyWestPoint.com and follow @ArmyWP_Baseball on Twitter.

GAME NOTES

First time Army split a series with Bucknell since 2007 … Kris Lindner reached base four times in the game … notched two hits and two walks … Justin French earned his third win of the season … had his longest appearance of the season, going 3.0 innings … Jacob Page hit two home runs in the game … ninth and 10th of his career … first multi-home run game for the Black Knights since Patrick Mescher against Holy Cross on April 27, 2013.