EMMITSBURG, Md. (March 4, 2021) – A pitchers' duel for nine innings, Thursday's contest between Mount St. Mary's and Bucknell exploded with offense in the extra frame. After the Bison homered to break up a no-hit bid,
CJ Kozorosky lined a single to cap off the rally for the Mountaineers' 3-2 win.
Before the offensive spurt,
Bryant Shives and
Blake Beal combined for a no-hitter over nine innings. Shives started the game, going six innings and retiring the first 12 Bison hitters before surrendering a walk in the top of the fifth. Beal got the win after going four innings, with one earned run and three strikeouts.
Kozorosky went 2-for-2 on the day, with
AJ Holcomb and
Ryan Haddaway adding multi-hit games.
The victory is also the first for the Mount's interim head coach
Jeff Gergic.
Mount St. Mary's (1-4) had plenty of opportunities to tack on runs during the contest, with six runners in scoring position for the first nine innings. The best chance came in the fifth when the Mount had men on the corners with two outs. A gutsy double steal was snuffed out by Bucknell. Kozorosky – who subbed in the game in the eighth – hit a double in the ninth, but after
Myles Nicholson was intentionally walked, a grounder to second forced extra innings.
Bucknell (0-1) got in the hit column with a bang, as Henry Novicki crushed a two-run shot to right, driving in the free international tiebreaker runner with him and putting the Mount's home debut in jeopardy.
Ryan Fisher went to second as the free runner to start the Mount's half of the 10
th. After a flyout,
Thomas Savastio drew a walk and Holcomb legged out an infield single. In stepped Haddaway who promptly placed a single up in the middle for the tie. Freshman
Efrain Correa, Jr. earned a free pass to load the bases again, setting up Kozorosky. The senior's single over the head of the right fielder brought home Holcomb for the walk-off.
The Mount looks to build a winning streak when they challenge Coppin State in a four-game set. First pitch Friday is set for 3 p.m. at E.T. Straw Family Stadium.