May 10, 2008

Game One Box Score|Game Two Box Score

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Just two outs away from earning a crucial Atlantic 10 doubleheader sweep, St. Bonaventure watched its one-run lead in the bottom of the ninth of game two evaporate as Saint Joseph's came back to defeated the Bonnies, 5-4, to earn a split.

The Brown and White broke a seven-game A-10 road losing streak in the opener, cruising to a 12-5 victory. The split moves St. Bonaventure's record to 25-21 overall and 12-11 in the conference. The game one victory marked the third consecutive year the Bonnies have reached 25 wins and the 10th time under head coach Larry Sudbrook.

Senior Cody Vincent led the charge in the convincing opening game win, going the distance on the mound for the sixth time this season to even his mark at 5-5. The left-hander struck out eight and walked just one batter as he kept the Hawks off the scoreboard until the seventh inning.

While Vincent held the Saint Joseph bats at bay, the Brown and White were anything but quiet during their trips to the plate. The Bonnies manufactured one run in the first inning and then used three hits and three Hawk errors for a five-run second to take a commanding 6-0 lead.

The advantage doubled in the top of the third as St. Bonaventure a five-hit attack to push the lead to 12-0. Senior Randy Moley delivered a two-run bases loaded single, followed a double down the right field line by freshman Jamie Wallschlaeger that also scored a pair of runs. The final two runs of the inning came off a sacrifice fly by Kevin Suminski and a balk that plated the final run.

The final 12-5 outcome came as a result of four Saint Joseph runs in the seventh and one more in the ninth.

Game two saw St. Bonaventure do most of its damage in the early going. The Bonnies rebounded from the Hawks taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning by scoring two runs in the second, one in the third and one more in the fifth for a 4-2 lead.

The run support in the first half of the game came with junior Matt Stewart on the mound. The Alfred State transfer gave the Brown and White five quality innings, allowing just two runs and just four hits before leaving the game with the lead.

Stewart handed the ball over to junior Jim Britton, who was making his first appearance in three weeks. After giving up an unearned run in his first inning (6th) that cut the lead to 4-3, Britton worked through the Hawk lineup in the seventh and eighth innings.

Despite the lineup providing no runs and just two hits over the final four innings, the Bonnies entered the bottom of the ninth with a 4-3 edge. Britton got the first batter to strike out swinging, putting the visitors just two outs away from a sweep.

Things started to unwind quickly, though, as Britton gave Saint Joseph's life by putting the next runner on base with a walk. The 6-foot-4 righty never recovered as he gave up three consecutive singles that resulted in two runs and a heartbreaking loss.

Britton was tabbed for the loss in just his third relief appearance of the season. He struck out two and allowed six hits in just over three innings of work.

For the day, St. Bonaventure pounded out 21 hits en route to its 16 runs scored. Sophomore Anthony Randich and freshman Jesse Bosnik led the way with four his apiece on the day. Randich's day included a pair of doubles and two RBI. Moley gave the Hawks fits in a variety of ways, going 3-for-9 with four runs scored, two walks, two RBI and a pair of stolen bases from the leadoff spot. Wallschlaeger was one of the main catalysts in the opening win, going 1-for-3 with two runs scored and a career-high three RBI. Senior Josh Sova contributed three singles over two games played.

The two teams will resume play on Sunday at 1 p.m. in the final game of the weekend series.