May 14, 2004

Box Score

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. - St. Bonaventure clinched a berth in the Atlantic 10 Conference Baseball Tournament with a 4-2 win over Massachusetts in Game 2 of the teams' doubleheader on Friday at McGraw-Jennings Field. The Minutemen won the opener 5-4.

The Bonnies got strong pitching performances from a pair of freshmen in the nightcap. Starter Mike Proctor allowed both UMass runs on six hits, struck out four and walked just one batter over 5-2/3 innings to improve to 3-2 on the year. Brian Pellegrini came on to pitch the final 1-1/3 innings for his seventh save. He struck out Jason Twomley to end the sixth inning with runners on second and third.

Junior second baseman Craig King ended the game with a superb defensive play, charging a ball that deflected off Pellegrini's glove and throwing out Cullan Maumus.

St. Bonaventure took advantage of the wildness of Massachusetts pitcher Matt Torra, scoring one run in each the first, second, fourth and fifth innings. Torra had six wild pitches on the day, and catcher Michael Weiner allowed two passed balls that contributed to Bona runs.

Freshman third baseman Matt Mardeusz, junior second baseman Craig King and senior center fielder Matt Landahl each had run-scoring singles against Torra. Landahl and Mardeusz both had a pair of hits in Game 2.

UMass rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win the opener. The Minutemen scored four runs in the fifth against Bona junior starter Soren Johnson. Frank Curreri provided the critical hit with a two-run double. UMass added an insurance run in the seventh on Weiner's leadoff home run.

St. Bonaventure senior shortstop Eric Wilson answered with a solo homer in the seventh, but UMass starter Eric Chown struck out Mardeusz and Pellegrini to end the game. Wilson went 3-4 and had three of Bona's seven hits off Chown, who improved to 6-4 with his complete game.

St. Bonaventure is now 24-19 overall and 13-7 in the Atlantic 10. Massachusetts is 18-23 overall and 9-11.

The Atlantic 10 Tournament will be played May 26-30 at Dodd Stadium in Norwich, Conn. This is St. Bonaventure's third berth in the tournament in the last five seasons.

"It's a great accomplishment considering how many freshmen we are playing, and it's also great for our seniors," said Bonnies coach Larry Sudbrook. "We'd like to win this series because it would be our seventh series win out of eight this year."

The Bonnies and Minutemen will complete their three-game series on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for noon and it will be Senior Day at McGraw-Jennings Field.