April 22, 2008
Game 1 Box Score|Game 2 Box Score
BUFFALO, N.Y. -
Freshman Cael Johnson's first career complete game victory in the night cap helped St. Bonaventure earn a split at Buffalo on Tuesday afternoon in a Big 4 doubleheader at Amherst Audubon Field.
The righty from Frewsburg, N.Y., led the Bonnies to a 11-1 victory in game two after dropping the opener, 3-2. Despite the Bull recording a hit in every inning, Johnson did well in getting out of jams thanks in part to seven strikeouts and just two walks. Johnson improves to 2-0 with the win.
The split moves St. Bonaventure to 20-15 on the season, marking the 11th consecutive year the team has reached the 20 wins in a season and 16th time under head coach Larry Sudbrook. The Brown and White will return to action on Wednesday at Fred Handler Park with a nine-inning non-conference showdown against Patriot League member Bucknell at 3 p.m.
After a quiet performance in game one, the Bona bats came alive in the nightcap doubling their hit output (10). Senior Josh Sova highlighted the 10-hit attack in game two with a bases-clearing double in the second inning and finished the contest with four RBI. Junior Brandon Salerno and sophomore Nick Cunliffe were the only two players to record a hit in both games going 3-for-8 and 4-for-7, respectively. Freshman shortstop Jesse Bosnik went 2-for-4 in game two, including a double, with a pair of RBI.
Johnson received major run support in the second inning of game two as the Bonnies broke a scoreless tie with a seven runs. The first four batters of the inning reached base via hits, led by Bosnik's double down the left field line to score two. The next four at-bats included a RBI single by freshman Brad Steinbach and resulted in the bases being loaded with two outs. The free-swinging Sova took advantage, stinging the team's second left field line double of the inning to clear the bases for a 6-0 lead. Salerno drove in Sova in the next at-bat with a single through the left side.
St. Bonaventure added to its lead in the top of third as it manufactured three runs for a commanding 10-0 lead. The three runs came in a variety of ways with the first scoring on a UB error, the second on a bases loaded walk the third on a sacrifice fly.
The Bulls threatened in nearly every inning from there on, but timely defense and confident freshman pitcher kept the home team off the scoreboard besides one run in the third.
Junior Matt Stewart was the tough-luck loser in the opener as Buffalo received some aid in the first inning from the Bonaventure defense. Two errors by the Bonnies in the bottom of the first led to two runs, negating the game-opening run the Bonnies plated.
Despite a few walks, Stewart kept the Bulls off the scoreboard the next three innings allowing the Bonnies to tie the game in the fifth. Freshman Jamie Wallschlaeger made his way around the base paths to make it 2-2. Wallschlaeger drew a walk to start things and moved to second on a walk to Randy Moley. Sova then sacrifice bunted the runners into scoring position. Wallschlaeger then scored on a pass ball.
Buffalo responded in its half of the fifth, taking advantage of getting the first two runners on base. Like the Bonnies, the Bulls used a sacrifice bunt to move the runners into scoring position with one and received a ground out to plate the eventual game-winning run.
The Brown and White put a runner on third in both the sixth and seventh inning, but squandered chances with strikeouts.
