Feb. 16, 2007

Final Stats

DURHAM, N.C. - The St. Bonaventure baseball team opened its 2007 campaign with a 13-4 loss to Duke on Friday afternoon at Jack Coombs Field.

The game was the first of a three-game set being played this weekend. Duke opened its season last weekend with a three-game sweep of Mount St. Mary's.

The Bonnies opened the scoring in the top of the first as senior Brian Pellegrini got things started with a two-out single up the middle. Pellegrini advanced into scoring position when classmate Joe Rizzo was hit by a pitch and was brought home by Matt Mardeusz's RBI-single into left field.

Duke tied the game up in its half of the second and took the lead in the third with a pair of runs to make it 3-1. Third baseman Brett Bartles led off the second with a double and eventually came around to tie the score at 1-1, while a pair of Bonaventure errors led to the two runs in the third.

After a scoreless fourth inning, the Brown and White made it a 3-2 game as freshman B.J. Salerno made his way around the base paths. Salerno reached on a throwing error and advanced to second on sacrifice bunt by Kevin Suminski. Junior center fielder Randy Moley made good on coach Larry Sudbrook's sacrifice call and drove home Salerno with an RBI-single.

The Blue Devils began to open the game in the fifth and seventh innings as they expanded their lead to 8-2. Duke plated a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth and three more in the seventh to take a six-run edge. Trailing 8-2 in the eighth, Pellegrini etched his named into the Bona record books even more as he blasted his 32nd career home run - a two-run shot over the fence in left center field that make it 8-4. Pellegrini had been tied with Mike Rapacioli for first place on the career home run list.

Duke made a 13-4 outcome with five runs in the bottom of the fifth.

Junior Michael Proctor took the loss on the mound after giving up five runs - three of them earned - and six hits in 4.1 innings of work.

St. Bonaventure will return to action for game two of the series tomorrow at 1 p.m.