April 29, 2008

Final Stats

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. - Led by the freshman arm of Cael Johnson and first-year bat of Jamie Wallschlaeger, St. Bonaventure advanced to Wednesday's Big 4 Classic Championship with a 9-4 win over Buffalo on Tuesday afternoon in the opening round at Fred Handler Park on McGraw-Jennings Field.

The Bonnies will square-off against Niagara at 4:30 p.m. in the title game. The Purple Eagles defeated Canisius, 9-6, in the other opening contest at Demske Sports Complex. The consolation game between the Bulls (13-28) and Golden Griffs will begin at 1 p.m. Both games we be hosted by the Bonnies at Handler Park.

After allowing four runs in the opening three innings, Johnson settled down to finish with five consecutive scoreless innings. The freshman right-hander set career-highs for innings (8) and strikeouts (8) in an outing as he improved to a perfect 3-0 start.

Johnson received solid run-support from the Bona bats, led by Wallschlaeger's 3-for-4 day that included two doubles and two runs scored. Despite being outhit 12-9, a patient Bonaventure offense drew seven walks on the afternoon, including four free passes for Cunliffe. Junior Kevin Suminski was the only other multi-hit Bonnie, going 2-for-5. Both senior Randy Moley and Josh Sova cracked home runs in the game. Moley's brought him to within one of the program's single-season hit record.

The Bulls came out swinging in the opening frame, but Johnson pounded the strike zone with an array of breaking balls, striking out the leadoff batter before yielding two straight singles. After striking out cleanup hitter Chris Ciesla, a wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position and a walk loaded up the bases with two out. Johnson threw one too many off-speed pitches as Bulls catcher Rob Mancini capitalized with a frozen rope to left field to open the scoring, driving in two runs. Johnson recovered to strike out the final batter of the inning.

Following a leadoff single by Suminski, he wasted no time as he stole second on the first pitch. A walk to Cunliffe put the heat on Buffalo starter Dan Francis. A blown double play on a ground ball by senior Randy Moley moved runners to first and third with one out. A botched throw down to second to catch Moley stealing dribbled into the outfield, scoring Suminski and drawing the Bonnies within one, 2-1.

Buffalo went after Johnson again in the third with back-to-back singles to start off the inning. A sacrifice fly scored another run for Buffalo as Johnson continued to pitch to contact, throwing a majority of strikes. An acrobatic catch on a line drive by Wallschlaeger in right field saved multiple runs from scoring but did plate another run on the sacrifice to end the scoring in the inning and extend the lead to 4-1.

The Bonnies bats did their best to help take the pressure of their freshman starter, as a two-run homerun by Moley brought them back within one, 4-3 with no outs in the inning.

Johnson came back strong in the fourth, setting down the Bulls in order with two more strikeouts. In the bottom half of the inning, Wallschlaeger hit his second double of the afternoon to threaten with one out. A single to center by freshman Brad Steinbach scored Wallschlaeger from second to even up the game at 4-4.

After another tense inning for Johnson in the top half, the Bonnies took their first lead of the game in the bottom of the frame after Sova punched a line drive home run to left field with two outs for his first round tripper of the year.

After a double play to open the bottom of the sixth, Wallschlaeger connected on his third hit of the day. The Bonnies kept the pressure on Francis with two outs, eventually chasing him from the game after a walk by Steinbach and an infield single by Suminski. Without swinging the bat once, Cunliffe drew his fourth walk of the day, this time off of new pitcher James Piazza, to plate Wallschlaeger and extend the lead for Bonaventure, 6-4.

A ground rule double in the seventh by senior T.J. Pennino drove in Salerno from second. Steinbach poked a lazy fly ball to right field but a bad break by Ciesla in right led to an error, pushing across Bosnik and Pennino and a 9-4 lead.

Johnson took advantage of the extra cushion as he cruised through his fifth straight scoreless inning in the eighth.