May 26, 2004

Box Score

NORWICH, Conn. - Despite giving up three late runs, the Bonnies held on for a 5-4 win over Fordham in the opening round of the Atlantic 10 Baseball Championship Wednesday afternoon at Dodd Memorial Stadium.

The Bonnies will now face the No. 1 seeded Rhode Island Rams on Thursday at noon. As the top seed, URI earned a first round bye.

Wednesday, Bona freshman pitcher Mike Proctor set the tone early by retiring the first three Fordham batters in order, striking out the final two.

In the top of the second, Ram designated hitter Joe Gwodz scored on a double steal as St. Bonaventure catcher Damian Blakeley threw out Kevin Brush at second, allowing Gwodz to cross.

The Bonnies answered with three runs in the bottom of the second. Junior second baseman Craig King roped a double into left center and advanced to third on a fielder's choice. After a walk by sophomore designated hitter Matt Agostinelli, King scored on a two-out single to right field by freshman left fielder Joe Rizzo. Agostinelli would score on the next play, as senior shortstop Eric Wilson blooped a single to shallow left center. The Bonnies plated the third run of the inning when Fordham's Rob Semerano walked senior center fielder Matt Landahl to load the bases. Semerano then walked freshman right fielder Brian Pellegrini to score Rizzo.

Proctor then settled into a groove that held the Rams off the scoreboard until the eighth inning. Matt Lovetere singled to center field for Fordham in the third, but Proctor followed with consecutive strikeouts to end the inning. Proctor retired the first two batters in the bottom of the fourth before allowing back-to-back singles. With runners at first and second, Proctor was able to get Jordan Lert to fly out to Pellegrini to end the threat.

In the fifth, Bona freshman third baseman Matt Mardeusz was hit by a pitch and later came around to score on a sacrifice fly off the bat of first baseman Kieran Malone.

Following a scoreless top of the sixth, Rizzo led off the bottom half with a walk. After stealing second, Rizzo advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Eric Wilson. After Lovetere threw out Rizzo at home on a fielder's choice play after advancing to second on a wild pitch, Landahl scored on a RBI single to center by Pellegrini.

After retiring the first two batters in the top of the eighth, Proctor gave up a triple to Kurt Thomas. Thomas scored on the next play on a RBI single up the Jeremy Bourgeois. Bourgeois advanced to third on a single to left field by Gwozdz.

Pellegrini, who replaced Proctor, walked the first batter he faced and then gave up a two-RBI single to right by Lert to cut the score to 5-4. Pellegrini then forced Fordham's Brian Keeney to ground out to third base.

With two outs in the top of the ninth, Fordham rallied to load the bases on a double and two consecutive walks, but in dramatic fashion, Pellegrini struck out Gwozdz to end the game.

Proctor improved to 4-2 on the season, allowing four runs on 10 hits, while striking out a season-best eight batters in seven and two thirds innings of work. Pellegrini earned his eighth save of the season, holding Fordham scoreless in an inning and a third, while striking out two.

"Anytime you run a freshman out there in a Championship, you have to wonder how will react and Proctor was outstanding," said St. Bonaventure head coach Larry Sudbrook. "He did a great job and was the key to the ball game."

Pellegrin also accounted for three of the Bonnies' eight hits and added two RBI. King had two hits.

Semerano fell to 4-3 on the season, allowing five runs in five and a third innings.

St. Bonaventure improved to 26-20 overall, while Fordham fell to 24-26-1.