April 17, 2008

Final Stats - Game One
Final Stats - Game Two

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. - For the third straight series this week, the St. Bonaventure softball team earned a doubleheader split against a Big 4 opponent as the Bonnies posted a 1-1 mark against local rival Canisius on Thursday afternoon at McGraw-Jennings Field.

Sophomore ace Sherri Thompson tossed 10 innings of five-hit ball before the Bonnies overcame a one-run deficit in the bottom of the 10th en route to an exhilarating 2-1 game one victory that snapped a 10-game Griffs winning streak. The Canisius pitching staff continued its stellar play in the second contest by limiting the Brown and White to four hits, while the Golden Griffin bats tallied four of its five runs through the first three frames on the way to a 5-0 win the nightcap.

St. Bonaventure finished "Rivalry Week" with a 3-3 mark to improve to 15-17 (7-3) overall in the 2008 campaign. Following this afternoon's split, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference leading Griffs move to 24-11 on the season.

The pitching efforts from Thompson and junior Juliette Bowers dominated the opener and each ace worked quickly through the opposing batting lineups. The Bonnies failed to put a ball into play through three innings of play before back-to-back singles in the fourth and fifth frames. In both instances, junior Kathryn Pazda and sophomore Stephanie Narde were stranded at second base following inning-ending strikeouts.

Thompson surrendered just four hits through nine innings, while notching all five of her strikeouts in the first five innings of play. The Griffs were able to advance runners into scoring position on three occasions, but never past third base.

Following nine innings of scoreless softball, the international tiebreaker rules were instituted in the tenth with a runner being placed on second base to begin the frame. Canisius struck first with a one-run double into left field from senior Ashley Bonetto to put the visiting Griffs in front 1-0. Ashley Bonetto advanced to third following a Canisius fly out to right field, but was unable to add an insurance run due to a ground out by senior Brittany Bonetto.

Trailing 1-0 with one last chance to tie or post the win, the Bonnies crossed the plate twice in the bottom of the tenth after going nine innings without a run. Narde led off with a walk to put two runners on base before both were advanced thanks to a sacrifice bunt from senior Patricia McKeon. After an Amanda Kotz strikeout, twin sister Ashley Kotz ripped a double towards right center, scoring both freshman Sarah Signore and Narde to clinch the 2-1 triumph.

Thompson recorded her sixth straight victory in the circle to improve to 12-6 in her second season with the Brown and White. The Bona ace conceded only five hits on the day, while working the full 10 innings.

The Brown and White scattered just four hits in the nightcap, while Canisius tallied at least one run in each of the first three innings. The Golden Griffins posted an early 4-0 lead after three as the club posted three of their four runs due to a pair of wild pitches from Bricker and a passed ball by the catcher Caitlin Tydings.

Canisius also tacked on a run in the fifth following an RBI double into left field from sophomore Michelle Fridey to account for the final 5-0 result.

Despite failing to get the offense cooking in their first two at-bats, the Bonnies had their best opportunities to score in the third and fourth innings, but left a combined three runners on base.

Senior Linday Morris, junior Mallory Aldred and senior Jess Stackhouse combined for the four-hit shutout of the Bonnies. Morris was credited with the win to improve to 8-6 after twirling five frames of scoreless ball with eight strikeouts.

Bricker and Signore split pitching duties for St. Bonaventure with Bricker notching the loss (2-5) due to her starting the contest. Signore allowed three hits and one run in relief.

The Bonnies return to Atlantic 10 competition on Saturday, April 19 when Saint Louis visits for the first conference series at McGraw-Jennings Field in 2008. First pitch of the two-game series is slated for 12:00 p.m.