April 22, 2007

Box Score

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. - St. Bonaventure starting pitcher Jim Britton struck out seven batters in a complete game four-hitter as the Bonnies defeated Rhode Island 5-2 on Sunday at Fred Handler Park.

Britton did not allow a hit until the fifth inning in a game that the Bonnies could not afford to lose. St. Bonaventure had lost the first two outings of the three game set with the Rams, and avoided the sweep with the win.

Britton improved to 3-2 this season, while Rams' starting pitcher James Norcott was charged the loss for Rhode Island.

St. Bonaventure took a 2-0 lead on Matt Mardeusz's RBI double in the first inning. With runners on second and third, Mardeusz looped a high pop fly to right field that fell between the first baseman and right fielder, scoring Joe Rizzo and Brian Pellegrini.

Senior shortstop Josh Perkins led off the second inning with a double to right field, and scored on a single to center by second baseman Kevin Suminski. T.J. Pennino followed with a double down the right field line which scored Suminski from first to give the Bonnies a 4-0 advantage.

The Rams struck back with two runs in the top of the fifth, but St. Bonaventure took a 5-2 lead in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice fly to center field by Rizzo.

Suminski led the Bonnies at the plate, going 2-4 with one RBI and two runs scored. Pennino finished 2-4 with one RBI while Perkins went 2-3 with a run scored. Pellegrini went 1-3 with a double.

St. Bonaventure is 6-8 in the Atlantic 10 Conference and 14-18 overall while Rhode Island fell to 7-8 in conference play and 10-23 overall.

The Bonnies are back in action this week in the Big 4 Classic. St. Bonaventure squares off against Buffalo at 7 p.m. Tuesday, and will play Wednesday at a time to be determined. The tournament is hosted by Niagara at Sal Maglia Stadium in Niagara Falls, N.Y.