LEWISBURG, Pa. – Senior
Tim Willittes tossed a complete game in the opener, and senior
Cole Rutherford had home runs in the both games of the baseball team's doubleheader sweep of Bucknell on Saturday at Depew Field.
Willittes went seven innings and limited Bucknell (8-11) to two runs (one earned), paving the way for Cornell (8-3) to storm ahead late. The Big Red then scored six runs in the fifth inning to take control of the second game.
The teams are scheduled to complete the Big Red's first four-game series of the year with another doubleheader at noon Sunday.
Game 1: CORNELL 5, BUCKNELL 2 (Box Score)
Junior Ryan Krainz was 2-for-2 with a pair of leadoff doubles. The first came in the fifth, when he came around to score on a base hit up the middle by junior
Ellis Bitar to give the Big Red a 2-1 lead.
Rutherford pushed the score to 3-1 with a solo homer in the top of the sixth, but the Bison immediately responded with an RBI double with no outs in the bottom half of the frame. But Willittes settled down, getting the first out on a liner to Rutherford at first and setting down the side with a couple of fly balls.
Cornell tacked on in the seventh. Krainz's second double set the table for Bitar's triple into the gap in right-center. Senior
Tommy Wagner then drove in Bitar with a sacrifice fly. Bitar finished the game 3-for-5 with a triple and two RBI.
Willittes worked around a pair of one-out walks in the bottom of the seventh, then ended the game with a double play grounder to short.
Game 2: CORNELL 11, BUCKNELL 4 (Box Score)
Rutherford was 3-for-5 with his third home run of the season in the second inning, then Wagner's RBI sac fly and junior
Dale Wickham single in the third gave the Big Red a 3-0 lead.
The Bison got on the board with three in the fourth, but the Big Red took advantage of two Bucknell errors in the fifth inning to plate six runs and take a commanding 9-3 lead.
Freshman Jeb Bemiss earned his first collegiate victory with three innings of effective relief.
Cornell drew eight walks in the game.
