April 25, 2006

Box Score

BUFFALO, N.Y. - Junior first baseman Brian Pellegrini and sophomore designated-hitter Tristan Mulcahy each drove in a pair of runs as St. Bonaventure topped Niagara, 7-5, in the opening game of the Big 4 Classic at Audubon Field on Tuesday.

Mulcahy and Pellegrini drove in three of the Bonnies' four runs in the third inning as they opened a 5-0 Bona lead. Pellegrini went 1-for-4 and walked once, and Mulcahy finished 2-for-4 with a run scored.

Sophomore pitcher Cody Vincent picked up the win for the Bonnies after entering the game in the third inning for starter Matt Agostinelli. Vincent gave up three runs on five hits while striking out three batters to improve to 3-2 on the season.

St. Bonaventure got on the board first, as T.J. Pennino's sacrifice fly in the second inning scored Mulcahy from third. Mulcahy reached on a triple to left-center.

In the Bonnies big third inning, Pellegrini scored freshman catcher Brandon Salerno from third on a groundout to second base. After a walk to junior leftfielder Joe Rizzo, senior third baseman Matt Mardeusz singled to left to score senior centerfielder Dan Bratys. Mulcahy capped the inning with a two-run double.

Niagara tallied a run in the fourth and two more in the fifth to pull within two, 5-3, but the Bonnies struck again with two runs in the sixth inning on an RBI single from junior shortstop Josh Perkins and an RBI walk drawn by Pellegrini.

Perkins went 3-for-3 with a walk and an RBI in the game.

St. Bonaventure led 7-5 after Niagara scored solo runs in the seventh and eighth innings off Bonnies' pitcher Eddie Williams, who came in to relieve Vincent in the sixth. Senior John Zinnicker struck out two batters in the final inning to earn his first save of the year.

The Bonnies look to win their second straight Big 4 Classic title, as they face-off with Canisius on Wednesday at Audubon Field in the championship game. Canisius upset host school Buffalo, 12-4, in Tuesdays match up. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.