Bucknell University Athletics

Baseball's Season Comes to an End in Game 3 Loss to Holy Cross in the Patriot League Championship

5/20/2026 4:24:00 PM | Baseball

**LEWISBURG, Pa. –**The Bucknell baseball team's season came to an end with a 14-11 loss in Game 3 of the Patriot League Championships on Wednesday at Depew Field at Marren Park.

Holy Cross repeated as Patriot League champion and advanced to an NCAA Regional.

Bucknell scored its 11 runs on 13 hits while Holy Cross had 12 hits in the game. Both teams used five pitchers as the staffs struggled to adjust to a tight strike zone throughout the game. Holy Cross turned to Game 1 starter Jaden Wywoda, who threw 122 pitches on Monday. Wywoda was named the tournament MVP, tossing 4.2 innings in relief to earn the save and secure back-to-back titles for the Crusaders. His 19.2 innings across three games are the most innings pitched in the Patriot League Tournament.

Despite trailing 13-5 after six innings, the Bison rallied to bring the tying run to the plate in the ninth. Bucknell scored six runs on eight hits off Wywoda, who threw a complete game while allowing two runs on four hits in Game 1.

The Crusaders got off to a fast start as CJ Egrie worked his way around the bases and scored by stealing home. Gianni Royer later scored on a double steal to make it 2-0 in the first inning. The Crusaders were aggressive on the basepaths totaling six stolen bases in the first inning to set a new Patriot League Championship record. Egrie's four stolen bases and five runs scored also set Patriot League Championship records.

After a Ryan Grundy home run extended the lead to 3-0 in the third, the Bison answered with a five-run frame in the bottom half to take the lead.

Zach Selfonand

Andrew Swensondrove in runs before a two-out single by

Deacon Bownetied the game 3-3.

Billy Fluhartythen drove in two more runs with a triple down the right-field line.

After consecutive four-run innings gave Holy Cross its largest lead of the day at 13-5, the Bison cut into the deficit with a three-run seventh inning. Fluharty drove in two runs with his second triple of the day, becoming the third Bison in history to hit two triples in a game. Trommer then made it 13-8 with an RBI single. Trommer finished the game 3-for-5 with two RBIs and Fluharty drove in four runs on his two triples.

Both teams traded a run in the eighth before the Bison threatened in the ninth. Fluharty beat the throw to first on a potential game-ending double play to keep the inning alive. Trommer,

Ty Lagoniand

Garrett Mathiasfollowed with consecutive singles to make it a 14-11 ballgame. The Bison had the tying run at the plate, but Wywoda closed out the win with a strikeout.

Despite adversity throughout the season, the Bucknell baseball team finished the season with a Patriot League regular season title and its first winning record (27-24) since 2015. The 27 wins are the program's most since 2014. After missing the Patriot League playoffs in 2025 and entering the season as the fifth-ranked team in the preseason polls, the Bison earned the No. 2 seed and hosted both the Patriot League semifinal and championship series.

Bucknell opened the season with a 1-7 record before turning things around entering conference play. Bucknell started 11-1 in the Patriot League and finished with a 17-9 record for its most wins in the league in program history — the Patriot League expanded to 25 games in 2018 and 26 games in 2026.

During March and April, the Bison put together a 10-game winning streak that matched the second-longest streak in school history. At the time, it was also the second-longest active streak in the NCAA. The Bison placed five student-athletes on the All-Patriot League teams and three on the Academic All-Patriot League team.

Hadley Maxwellwas named the Scholar Athlete of the Year, and tied the single season program record with 11 saves in 2026. Head Coach

Scott Heatherand his staff were named the Patriot League Coaching Staff of the Year. Bowne, Trommer, and

Everett Garberwere all named to the All-Tournament Team.

Seniors

Garrison Bullock,

Ryan DeLaney,

Ryan Facinelli,

Ethan Firestein, Ben Isenstein,

Kobe Julks,

Mikey Myro,

Hadley Maxwell, and

Michael Trommersuited up in the Orange & Blue for the final time in their careers.

Team Stats

Pitching:

W: Aidan Gilbert (2-1)

L: Mitchell, Bryce (2-2)

S: Jaden Wywoda (1)

Batting:

2B: CJ Egrie 1 ; Alex Sandell 1 ; John LaFleur 1 ; Van Coughlin 1 ; Nick Andersen 1

HR: Ryan Grundy 1

RBI: CJ Egrie 1 ; Alex Sandell 4 ; Gianni Royer 1 ; Braden Connors 2 ; Ryan Grundy 2 ; Van Coughlin 1

Base Running:

RUNS: CJ Egrie 5 ; Alex Sandell 1 ; Gianni Royer 1 ; Ryan Grundy 1 ; John LaFleur 1 ; Van Coughlin 2 ; Nick Andersen 1 ; Owen Stelzer 2

SB: CJ Egrie 4 ; Gianni Royer 4 ; Ryan Grundy 1

HBP: CJ Egrie 1 ; Gianni Royer 1

Batting:

2B: Trommer, Michael 1 ; Mathias, Garrett 1

3B: Fluharty, Billy 2

RBI: Fluharty, Billy 4 ; Trommer, Michael 2 ; Mathias, Garrett 1 ; Coupe, Lleyton 1 ; Selfon, Zach 1 ; Swenson, Andrew 1 ; Bowne, Deacon 1

SF: Swenson, Andrew 1

Base Running:

RUNS: Fluharty, Billy 2 ; Trommer, Michael 1 ; Lagoni, Ty 1 ; Mathias, Garrett 1 ; Calabrese, John 1 ; Coupe, Lleyton 2 ; Selfon, Zach 1 ; Bowne, Deacon 2

SB: Lagoni, Ty 1

HBP: Trommer, Michael 1 ; Selfon, Zach 1