May 16, 2009
Box Score
ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. - Despite constant rain
throughout and a pair of rain delays that totaled nearly an hour
and a half, the St. Bonaventure baseball team ended its 2009 season
in dramatic fashion as senior Kevin Suminski's
walk-off RBI single gave the Bonnies an 11-10 win over Charlotte in
a rain-shortened season finale at Fred Handler Park.
The game started 50 minutes late due to rain and then was
postponed for another 30 minutes midway through the bottom of half
of the fifth inning. The two teams agreed to end the game after
seven innings because of a scheduled flight for the 49ers.
The win sheds a ray of light on what has been an up-and-down
season for the Bonnies. The Brown and White finish with a 24-25
overall record and an 8-17 mark in the A-10. Charlotte, on the
other hand, would have clinched the fourth seed in next week's
conference tournament with a win, but now can be seeded as low as
sixth.
Suminski's game-winning single was a fitting end to the careers
of St. Bonaventure six-member senior class that accumulated 107
wins and three A-10 Tournament berths over their careers. All six
seniors were honored following the game by taking the ceremonial
final lap around the base paths.
After a scoreless first inning, the Bonnies plated at least one
run in each of the next six innings, collecting 11 hits along the
way. Kyle
Gorby capped his career with another strong afternoon at the
dish, going 3-for-4 with two RBI. Gorby's recent tear to close his
career featured 12 runs batted in over his final four games.
The team's other eight hits came from eight different players,
as all but one batter who made a plate appearance reached base.
Senior Brandon Salerno,
who returned from what seemed to be a season-ending injury, scored
three runs and delivered a double in his second straight start at
first base. Suminski and fellow senior Anthony Randich
each scored a pair of runs, while senior Ricky Pillitteri started
at third base.
Just like the previous two games in the series, Charlotte got
off to a furious start taking a 7-3 lead through just three full
innings of play.
Momentum started to shift from that point forward, as St.
Bonaventure scored five of the game's next seven runs over the next
three innings to cut the deficit to just one, at 9-8.
Charlotte tacked on an insurance run in the top of the seventh
off of freshman Jordan Crane, who
entered the game in the start of the sixth, to make it 10-8.
A crafty bunt single by junior Nick Cunliffe and a
walk to Salerno to start what had already been agreed to be the
last inning put the potential game-tying run on first base.
Freshman Michael Grieco
calmly laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners into
scoring position with just one out. The game-changing play came in
the next at-bat, as sophomore Jamie
Wallschlaeger's slowly hit ball to the shortstop was hurried
and sailed over the first baseman's head allowing both runs to
score to tie the game at 10-10. Two consecutive walks to Jesse Bosnik and Brad
Steinbach loaded the bases with still just one out, setting the
stage for Suminski to deliver the game-winning hit in the final
at-bat of his illustrious four-year career.
Crane was credited with his second career win after tossing two
innings of relief work. Aiming to equal the school single-season
record for wins, junior Dennis Sherba's bid
to improve to 9-2 was hampered by 10 walks and seven hits that lead
to eight Charlotte runs. Sherba's no decision capped an 8-2
campaign for the right-hander.
