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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Despite scoring four runs in the bottom of the 9th and having the potential winning run at the plate, the St. Bonaventure baseball team (2-2) fell on Tuesday afternoon to the Western Michigan Broncos, 12-9.
Western Michigan (3-6) jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the 1st off Bona starter Andrew Revello before the Bonnies responded in the bottom of the frame to cut the Bronco advantage to 3-2.
Sophomore Jason Radwan worked a one-out walk in front of a single by classmate Austin Ingraham (pictured). Ingraham then moved to third and Radwan scored when a third consecutive Bona sophomore reached base safely as Billy Urban laced a double down the left-field line. Junior Nick Brennen then singled to plate Ingraham, driving in his third run of the young campaign.
However, Western Michigan continued to build its lead to as much as 6-2 before the Bonnies cut into it in the bottom of the 5th with the same part of the lineup that helped trim the 1st-inning deficit. Radwan reached on a one-out error and was then balked over to second. With a runner in scorer position, Ingraham ripped a single to bring home Radwan, and was then subsequently chased to third on Urban's second double of the afternoon.
Brennen drove in his second run of the game when he lifted a sacrifice fly to center, and junior Ryan Skellie sent a single to left to plate Ingraham from second for his first RBI of the season.
But once again the Broncos responded and carried a 12-5 lead into the bottom of the 9th. In its first win of the year over Northeastern on Sunday, St. Bonaventure erased a 5-2 9th-inning deficit, and looked to be on its way of repeating the feat against Western Michigan.
Ingraham, Urban and Brennen all reached safely to lead off the inning, and then freshman Joe Chittester, pinch hitting for Skellie, plated Ingraham with his first career RBI. Another pinch hitter followed, as this time sophomore Eric Jutca was hit by a pitch and earned an RBI the hard way as Urban came in to score.
With the bases still loaded, nobody out and the Bonnies down 12-7, senior Alex Calderon pinch hit for classmate Ryan Mosher, and on a fielder's choice putout to the second baseman plated Brennen from third. Senior Brad Steinbach was then hit by a pitch, and Radwan worked a walk to score Chittester and make it a 12-9 game.
Unfortunately for the Bonnies, that's where the rally ended as they dropped their second game of their nine-game trip in Florida. Making his first start of the season, Revello was saddled with the loss in pitching 5.1 innings of seven-run, 12-hit baseball. Ingraham finished the day with a career-high four hits, a total matched by Urban as well as he finished with a career-best 4-for-5.
After playing four games the last four days, St. Bonaventure will be off on Wednesday before returning to the diamond on Thursday against fellow Atlantic 10 opponent Rhode Island at 1 p.m. The game will not count as part of either team's conference record.
Game Notes: Urban and Ingraham's previous career best games were three hits each … left-hander Brennen is expected to get the start against Rhode Island … Urban now has a team-high 10 hits on the year and is on pace to surpass last year's Florida total when he recorded 13 en route to being named a Louisville Slugger Freshman All American.
