April 16, 2008
Game 1 Box Score|Game 2 Box Score
ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. -
The St. Bonaventure baseball team was unable to put together all three facets of the game at the same time on Wednesday, as it dropped both games of a doubleheader against Big 4 rival Canisius.
The bats failed the Brown and White in the opener as they were shutout for the first time this season, 2-0. In game two, it was spotty field and pitching that haunted the Bonnies as a back-and-forth contest went in favor of the Golden Griffins, 11-7.
St. Bonaventure will now enter this weekend's home Atlantic 10 series against Saint Louis with a 17-13 overall mark. Game one of the three-game set will start at 3 p.m. on Friday. The pair of losses runs Canisius' record to 4-0 against St. Bonaventure this season and an impressive 28-4 overall.
After a well-played opening game, the second contest featured several lead changes that were attributed to walks and fielding errors.
Drama struck in the fifth inning with the Bonnies holding a slight 4-3 lead. Senior Cody Vincent entered the game for sophomore Dennis Sherba with one out and two runners on. Canisius junior Kevin Mahoney gave the lead back to the visitors with one swing of the bat, cracking a three-run shot over the left field wall to make it a 6-4 game.
Walks allowed two Bonnies to reach base to open their half of the sixth. With the righty Chris Cox still on the mound for the Griffs, head coach Larry Sudbrook put senior left-handed hitter Josh Sova in for a pinch-hit. Sova responded, driving in both runners with a triple into right centerfield to knot the score at 6-6. Canisius then entered Ryan McGorman, who picked up the save in the opener. McGorman was able to record the last two outs of the inning, but in the process allowed the go-ahead run, 7-6, on a ground out by sophomore Nick Cunliffe.
With momentum seemingly back in St. Bonaventure's favor, Vincent continued to struggle, loading the bases with no outs. The lefty regained his poise with a strikeout and got the second out of the inning on a sacrifice fly that tied the game at 7-7. With two outs and runners on first and second, Kevin Mailloux cracked the team's second three-run homer in as many innings, giving Canisius its largest lead of the afternoon, 10-7.
St. Bonaventure went quietly in both the sixth and seventh as McGorman retired six of seven batters.
Five different pitchers took the mound for the Brown and White in game two. Freshman Cael Johnson started and lasted two innings. Sophomore Cory Sudbrook went one and two-thirds, while Sherba recorded a pair of outs. Vincent took the loss, allowing five runs, just two earned, over one and two-thirds.
The opener featured a pitchers dual between junior Matt Stewart and the Griffs' Josh Sawatzky. Stewart was the hard-luck loser, tossing six innings and striking out five. Sawatzky received his two runs of support in the first and third innings, respectively. He lasted five and two-thirds before giving way to McGorman and the bullpen.
The Brown and White managed just nine hits over the two games, but were issued 12 walks. Sova, sophomore Anthony Randich and freshman Jamie Wallschlaeger were the only players to finish the day with two hits. Both of Wallschlaeger's hits came in game one, including a double.
St. Bonaventure will begin its three-game Atlantic 10 weekend series with Saint Louis on Friday at 3 p.m. at Fred Handler Park.
