Score: Holy Cross 4, Bucknell 3
Pitching Decision: W: Brendan King (5-5) | L: Connor Van Hoose (6-6)
Time: 5:05 p.m.
Location: Worcester, Mass. (Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field)
The Lead: Senior pitcher Brendan King allowed only one run and struck out eight as the Holy Cross baseball team defeated Bucknell, 4-3, in the first game of the Patriot League Championship series.

Highlights:

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Both teams started out strong on the defensive side of the ball, playing through three scoreless innings.
• Sam Clark led off the top of the fourth with solo shot to left-center field off King to break the scoreless tie and give the Bison the 1-0 lead.
• With two outs in the bottom of the fifth, Holy Cross senior Josh Hassell ripped a line drive to left field that drove in sophomore Kellen McCormick and freshman Chris Rinaldi, putting the Crusaders up 2-1 going into the sixth.
• King exited the game with one out in the top of the eighth after an outstanding outing, as relief pitcher George Capen took over the mound.
• Holy Cross senior Bill Schlich and Rinaldi made an impressive play to get Bucknell's Danny Rafferty out at the plate before Capen struck out Luke Johnson to keep the score 2-1 in favor of the Crusaders going into the bottom of the eighth.
• With one out in the bottom of the eighth, Schlich hit a line drive to left field to bring in Rinaldi and put the Crusaders up 3-1.
• Holy Cross senior Anthony Critelli doubled off the wall to right-center field, scoring Schlich and giving Holy Cross a 4-1 lead going into the ninth.
• With two outs in the top of the ninth, Bucknell's Chuckie Scales singled to left field, scoring JohnPaul Bell and advancing Keifer Rawlings to third, making it a 4-2 contest.
• Bucknell then cut the lead to one when outfielder Brett Smith doubled off the wall in left field, scoring Rawlings and making it a 4-3 game.
• Capen forced Rafferty to fly out to left field to end the game and give Holy Cross the 4-3 victory.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• The Crusaders recorded six hits, while the Bison recorded 10.
• Bucknell left eight runners on base, while Holy Cross left four.
• King earned the win for Holy Cross, allowing one run on five hits in 7.1 innings pitche.
• Connor Van Hoose took the loss for Bucknell, allowing three runs on four hits in 7.1 innings.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:

• The Crusaders are one win away from their first Patriot League Tournament title and advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1978.
• King tied his season-high with eight strikeouts.
• Critelli hit his 50th career double, which now stands alone as the second-most in program history.

UP NEXT:

• Game two of the Patriot League Championship series will take place at 12:05 p.m. on Saturday, May 20, at Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field in Worcester, Mass. Game three, if necessary, will begin 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one.