May 10, 2009

Box Score

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. - In a game that featured a combined 23 runs, 22 hits, 10 different pitchers and nine errors, St. Bonaventure jumped out a nine-run lead by the fifth inning and held on to defeat Duquesne 13-11 to salvage a game in the weekend Atlantic 10 series on Sunday at Fred Handler Park.

Junior Kyle Gorby was the offensive star of the contest, going 3-for-4 with a staggering seven RBI. Directly involved in 10 of the team's 13 runs, Gorby's career-high seven RBI came over his first three at-bats on a home run and a pair of doubles. Gorby's career day at the dish now has him leading in the team in doubles (12), home runs (5) and RBI (34).

The beneficiary of the Brown and White's most runs in a span of 48 games was junior pitcher Dennis Sherba who became just the third player in program history to win eight games in a season. Sherba allowed five runs, including four earned, over 5.2 innings of work and had eight strikeouts. Sherba is now 8-2 on the season.

St. Bonaventure snaps a five-game A-10 losing streak with the win and evens its overall record at 23-23 heading into next weekend final regular season series against Charlotte. The Brown and White's final push for its 14th winning season in school history will begin on Thursday at 3 p.m. at Fred Handler Park.

The Bonnies hammered out 11 hits on the afternoon and earned seven walks to provide plenty of base runners. Sophomore Brad Steinbach capped a strong weekend at the dish with a 4-for-5 afternoon with a double and two stolen bases. Steinbach coupled his seven-hit series by picking up his second save of the season in today's game.

The game began with the Brown and White plating three runs in their first at-bat to take a 3-0 lead. Freshman Ryan Skellie drove home sophomore Jesse Bosnik, who doubled, with a RBI sacrifice fly. Gorby then cracked a two-run home run over the left field wall to complete the inning.

Still leading 3-2, St. Bonaventure produced its second big inning of the game in the third with four runs to push its advantage up to 7-2. Senior Kevin Suminski led off the inning with a double, while Skellie reached base on a Duquesne error. Gorby picked up his third and fourth RBI of the game with a double to make it 5-2. Sophomore Jamie Wallschlaeger followed with a two-run double of his own to account for the final two runs of the inning.

The game-changing inning proved to be the bottom of the fifth, as St. Bonaventure plated five runs despite just two hits to take what seemed to be a huge lead. Four consecutive batters reached base via walks or were hit by pitch, allowing the first run to score. For the third straight at-bat, Gorby cleared the bases, this time with a bases loaded double to score three and make it 11-3. Gorby also made his way around the bases on the hit, scoring on an over throw by the catcher on attempt to get him at third.

Duquesne began chipping away at the deficit with two runs in the sixth, three in the seventh and two more in the eighth to cut it to a 13-11 game. During the 7-0 run by the Dukes, the Bonnies used five different pitchers and failed to plate a run.

After getting the last two outs of the eighth and the fist two of the ninth, junior Cory Sudbrook was relieved by Steinbach following a double by Matt Carson. Steinbach unleashed a wild pitch to move Carson over to third and then hit Manley to put the game-tying run on base. Steinbach converted the save opportunity by getting the final out of the game on a fly ball to right field.

The first two games of next week's three-game A-10 set against the 49ers can be heard live on WHDL 1450 AM or through the Stretch Internet button on www.GoBonnies.com.