GAME 1 BOX SCORE | GAME 1
PHOTOS | GAME 2 BOX SCORE | UPDATED SEASON STATS
ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. — Niagara jumped out
to a big lead by the fourth inning in both games and held off a
pair of furious St. Bonaventure rallies for a doubleheader sweep of
the Bonnies on Wednesday afternoon at Fred Handler Park.
The Purple Eagles took the opener 9-6 and held on for a dramatic
14-13 victory in the nightcap in the two seven-inning contests. The
Bonnies slip to 3-8 on the season, while the two wins improve
Niagara to 4-13.
The Brown and White did pound out 20 hits over the two games,
but we out-done by Niagara's 24. Junior Jesse
Bosnik reached base in seven of nine plate appearances,
going 4-for-6 with three walks, three runs scored and three RBI.
Freshman Jason Radwan also went 4-for-6 with a
pair of walks and four RBI. Sophomore Nick Brennen
(pictured) kept the Bonnies in the game in the nightcap,
drilling two home runs, including a grand slam in the sixth.
Brennan finished the game with six RBI and seven on the afternoon.
Freshman Billy Urban led the way in game one with
three hits.
Niagara jumped out an early 6-0 lead in the first game of the
day, plating two runs in first, second a fourth inning. The
back-to-back two-run innings knocked starter Eddie
Gray out of the game and brought in senior Dennis
Sherba.
The Bonnies started their climb back into the game with four
runs in their half of the fourth to make it 6-4. Sophomore
Ryan Skellie delivered a two-run triple to start
the inning and later scored on a wild pitch. The final run came on
an RBI single by Brennan.
Radwan completed the Bona comeback, for the time being, with a
bases loaded single through the ride side that brought home two
runs to make it 6-6 in the bottom of the fifth. Unfortunately, the
Bonnies stranded two runners and were unable to take the lead.
After surviving back-to-back big innings by the Bonnies, Niagara
bounced back with two runs in the top sixth and one more in the
seventh for the final outcome.
Sherba was charged with the loss after going four innings and
giving up four runs on six hits.
In game two, Niagara dinged up a trio of Bona pitchers to the
tune of 14 runs on 12 hits by the end of its half of the fifth
inning for a 14-4 lead.
The Bonnies refused to go away, though, as they answered with
nine unanswered runs over the next two innings. It was Brennen
supplying most of the damage, as his two-run homer in the fifth and
grand slam in the sixth sparked the big run that left the Brown and
White trailing just 14-13 heading into the seventh.
Senior Cory Sudbrook held the Purple Eagles
scoreless in the top of the seventh, but the Bonnies were unable to
muster a comeback despite Radwan working a one-out walk and getting
into scoring position.
St. Bonaventure will now have a week off before it heads north
to take on Big 4 rival Canisius on Wednesday, Mar. 24 at 3 p.m.
