March 2, 2009

Box Score

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - For the second straight day the Bona bats produced double figure runs as St. Bonaventure picked up its second win in as many days with an 11-5 victory over New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) ON Monday afternoon at the Papa John's Challenge.

The Brown and White pounded out 14 hits on the afternoon en route to improving to 2-1. After finishing with three hits in the season opener, St. Bonaventure has 29 over the last two games.

The Bonnies also received another strong performance from a junior pitcher, this time in relief. Dennis Sherba (1-0) entered in the fifth inning and went the rest of the way, limiting the Bears to three runs on four hits over the final five innings, while striking out six. More impressive was the fact that Sherba didn't allow a run over the final three frames and retired the side in order in the seventh and ninth.

Senior Anthony Randich led five players with multi-hit days by going 3-for-4 with two runs, a double and two RBI. Seniors Kevin Suminski and Brandon Salerno, sophomore Jamie Wallschlaeger and freshman Ryan Skellie all had to hits apiece.

After NYIT took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, the Bonnies responded with a three-run top half of the second to take the lead for good. Randich and Skellie reached base with back-to-back singles to open the inning. After a drag bunt single by Wallschlaeger loaded the bases, a groundout by sophomore Brad Steinbach brought home Randich for the first run. After a walk loaded the bases, Suminski delivered a single into right centerfield that brought home two make it 3-1.

The Bears pushed across another run in their half of the second to cut it to a 3-2 score, but the Brown and White got the run back in the top of the third on an RBI double by Randich to push the lead back to two, at 4-2.

Neither team scored over the next two and a half innings until St. Bonaventure exploded for seven runs in the top of the sixth for a commanding 11-2 advantage. An RBI double by senior Tristan Mulcahy and RBI singles by sophomore Jesse Bosnik, Salerno and Randich highlighted the big inning.

NYIT scored all three of its runs of Sherba in the bottom of the sixth to make it 11-5, but was held in check the rest of the way. Sherba limited the Bears to a pair of hits over the final three innings, while fanning three batters.

Freshman Sebastian Bellitto made his first career start, lasting four innings before giving way to Sherba. Bellitto gave up just two hits and two earning runs while finishing with four strikeouts, but was hampered by five walks.

St. Bonaventure will return to the diamond on Tuesday at 4 p.m. when it takes on Big East foe Villanova. The game can be followed via gametracker on www.GoBonnies.com as the Bonnies attempt to make it three years in a row with a win over a BCS opponent. Last season, the Brown and White defeated Boston College and West Virginia and in 2007 took down No. 11 Miami and the Mountaineers.