WORCESTER, Massachusetts -- The Holy Cross baseball team used a come-from-behind effort in Game 2 to split a doubleheader with Bucknell in the Crusaders' Patriot League and Fitton Field openers on Sunday, March 24.

GAME ONE:

Bucknell 8, Holy Cross 4 (seven innings)

Stats Leaders:

• Peter Dudunakis (2-for-3, double, RBI)
• Austin Masel (1-for-4, double)
• David Kale (1-for-2, double, RBI)
• Kyle Johnson (1.2 IP, no hits, three strikeouts)

W: Jeff Gottesman (2-4)
L: Pat McGowan (0-6)

How it Happened:

• Bucknell got on the board early, taking a 2-0 lead in the first inning; the Bison added three more runs in the fourth and another in the fifth to take a 6-0 lead.
• The Crusaders got on the board in the bottom of the sixth; sophomore second baseman Peter Dudunakis was hit by a pitch and sophomore designated hitter Zach Buck drew a two-out walk, followed by an RBI single to center by sophomore first baseman Evan Blum that scored Dudunakis. Junior catcher Riley Livingston followed with a single to right field that scored Buck, cutting the Bucknell lead to 6-2.
• Bucknell added two runs in the top of the seventh to extend its lead to 8-2.
• In the bottom of the seventh, junior shortstop Chris Rinaldi led off with a single and advanced on a passed ball, and sophomore left fielder David Kale had a double to score Rinaldi. With two outs, Dudunakis had a double that scored Kale, but Holy Cross could cut no closer than 8-4.

GAME TWO:

Bucknell 5, Holy Cross 6

Stats Leaders:

• Declan Cronin (7.0 IP, two earned runs, seven hits, five strikeouts)
• Riley Livingston (2-for-3, two RBI)
• Ben Malgeri (1-for-3, two runs scored, RBI)
• Peter Dudunakis (2-for-2, RBI)

W: Declan Cronin (1-3)
L: Brenden Tuttle (0-1)

How it Happened:

• Bucknell again got out to an early lead, with a three-run second and another run in the top of the fourth.
• Trailing 4-0, Holy Cross began to chip away at the deficit in the bottom of the fifth. Senior third baseman Alex Gionis led off with a single, and Rinaldi used a sacrifice bunt to move him to second. Freshman right fielder Ben Malgeri had a one-out single, followed by an RBI single from junior center fielder Austin Masel to score Gionis. Dudunakis was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Blum walked in a run to make the score 4-2. Livingston followed with an RBI single to make the score 4-3.
• The Crusaders had a three-run sixth to take the lead for good. Rinaldi and Kale were issued back-to-back one-out walks, and Malgeri tied the game up with a single up the middle that scored Rinaldi. After Malgeri stole second, the Bison intentionally walked Masel for a double-play opportunity, but Dudunakis got hit by a pitch to give Holy Cross a 5-4 lead. Livingston then drew a bases-loaded walk to make the score 6-4.
• Though Cronin allowed a run in the eighth, he kept the Bison in check; after walking the leadoff hitter in the ninth, he picked him off to clear the bases, and struck out the next two batters to preserve the 6-5 win.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:

• Holy Cross moves to 4-19 overall and 1-1 in the Patriot League. Bucknell is now 6-18 and 2-6 in league play.
• Masel is now on a six-game hitting streak. With a hit-by-pitch in the first game and a single in Game 2, Malgeri is now on a 15-game reached-base streak. Dudunakis has reached base in 11 consecutive games and is on a four-game hitting streak.
• Cronin had his longest outing of the year in his first victory of 2019; he additionally had a season-high five strikeouts.
• The Game 2 win is the Crusaders' first victory this season in which they have recorded no extra-base hits.

DUE UP:

• Holy Cross returns home for a Patriot League doubleheader against Navy.
• First pitch at Fitton Field is set for 12 p.m.

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