April 28, 2009

Box Score

BUFFALO, N.Y. - For the first time in the six-year existence of the Big 4 Baseball Classic, St. Bonaventure will not be in the championship game as it fell to Buffalo, 14-5, in the opening round of the two-day tournament on Tuesday night at Amherst Audubon Field.

The game was originally scheduled to be played on the campus of Canisius College, but rain delayed the Griffs' contest against Niagara forcing the Bonnies and Bulls to change sites.

The Brown and White will take on Niagara at 3 p.m. tomorrow in the consolation game at Demske Sports Complex. The two teams met in the championship game last year at Fred Handler Park with the Bonnies prevailing for their second Big 4 title. Canisius and UB will meet at 6 p.m. the final.

The loss slips St. Bonaventure to 20-17 on the season and 7-4 all-time in the Big 4 Classic.

Buffalo jumped out to a commanding 7-0 led by the fourth inning. Sophomore starter Cael Johnson was roughed for eight runs over his four innings of work. Only four of the runs were earned as a costly error in the third led to a game-changing five-run inning for the Bulls.

St. Bonaventure was never able to recover from the slow start, as Buffalo poured on seven more runs for the 14-5 final. UB finished the game with 16 hits, including seven of the extra-base variety. Both teams left 10 runners on base.

Senior Anthony Randich's 2-for-4 night at the plate with two RBI highlighted a seven hit attack. Unlike the Bulls, the Bonnies failed to record an extra-base hit. Johnson took the loss on the mound to fall to 4-4 on the season. The four-inning performance was the shortest start of the season for Johnson, who has four complete games on the year.

A live broadcast of Wednesday's consolation game at 3 p.m. can be heard on WHDL 1450 AM in Olean or on www.GoBonnies.com through the Stretch Internet button. Play-by-play man Gary Nease will have the call, while Steve Mest will provide the color commentary.