Game 1 PDF Box Score
Game 2 PDF Box Score
ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – Looking to even its Atlantic 10 Conference record with a sweep on Friday afternoon of La Salle, the baseball team (10-17, 2-6 A-10) was instead swept by the Explorers (20-13, 7-4 A-10) in a doubleheader by scores of 6-3 and 7-4.
In game one, the Bonnies opened the scoring in the bottom of the 1st on a manufactured run. Senior Brad Steinbach led off the inning by sending a single up the middle and then promptly stole second. Classmate Jamie Wallschlaeger then grounded out to the shortstop, but Steinbach was still able to advance to third on the fielder's choice. With one out, sophomore first baseman Austin Ingraham flied out to left to score Steinbach with his team-leading 20th run of the year.
La Salle took the lead off Bona starter Jordan Crane in the 5th inning when it plated four runs and chased the junior right hander from the game. After a lead-off walk came around to score, a two-out, 2-RBI single by Zack Feierstein broke the tie before another RBI single, this time off of reliever Cael Johnson, gave the Explorers a 4-1 lead halfway through the game.
The Explorers added to their lead in the 6th off Nick Brennen, as the lefty allowed two more runs to cross, and the Philadelphia school carried a 6-1 lead into the bottom of the 6th.
Brennen was able to get one of those runs back himself in the Bona portion of the 6th when he sent a two-out double to right field to score Wallschlaeger; however, second baseman Jason Radwan was gunned down at home trying to score on a perfect relay throw from the La Salle shortstop.
St. Bonaventure added one more run in the bottom of the 9th when pinch hitter Eric Jutca sent a sacrifice fly to center to plate Ryan Skellie, who had led off the inning with a single to right.
La Salle starter Kevin Fuqua left with the bases loaded and two outs in the 7th after throwing 106 pitches. The senior limited the Bonnies to just five hits in his 6.2 innings of work, walking two and striking out six in picking up the win to even his season record at 3-3.
Crane, who started the year as a reliever, was pulled after 89 pitches in his third start of the season and is now 0-2 on the campaign. He allowed four runs in 4.2 innings, surrendering five hits while striking out four and walking just as many.
Looking to split the doubleheader with a game two win, head coach Larry Sudbrook sent staff ace Eddie Gray to the mound. However, the redshirt sophomore ran into troubles in the first inning as the Explorers plated three in the frame off the southpaw.
The Bonnies got one back in the bottom of the inning as leadoff man Steinbach sent his second home run of the year over the left-field wall.
Continuing to chip away in support of Gray, St. Bonaventure manufactured its second run of the contest in the 3rd. After freshman Justin Brozick singled through the right side leading off, senior Ryan Mosher advanced him to second with a perfect sacrifice bunt to the left side of the infield. Wallschlaeger then placed a perfect bunt just short of the second baseman, and just to the right of the mound, to plate Brozick and pull the Bonnies with one run at 3-2.
Unfortunately for Gray and the Bonnies, La Salle added two runs in the 4th, one more in the 6th and another in the 8th to open up a 7-2 lead. Junior catcher Michael Grieco pulled St. Bonaventure to within three in the bottom of the 9th with a 2-RBI single up the middle, and Brennen was subsequently hit by a pitch, but La Salle then called on A-10 saves leader Pat Christensen. The sophomore right hander struck out freshman pinch hitter Joe Chittester and got pinch hitter Ingraham fly out to left to end the game and close out his ninth game of the year.
Gray (3-2) was credited with the loss after pitching seven innings in which he surrendered 10 hits and six runs – season highs in both categories.
La Salle starter Eric Van Wyk was great, as the left-hander pitched 8.1 innings of six-hit ball, allowing four runs while striking out five.
Grieco led the way for the Bonnies at the plate with a 2-for-4 performance in both games.
The final game of the three-game series is scheduled for Saturday at Noon, weather permitting. If game three cannot be played on Saturday, the series will conclude on Sunday at Noon.
