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RICHMOND, Va. – For the second straight day, St. Bonaventure (6-14, 0-3 Atlantic 10) blew an 8th-inning lead as Richmond (15-11-2, 3-0 A-10) swept the three-game series from the Bonnies by virtue of an 8-7 decision Sunday afternoon.
Trailing 6-2 entering the bottom of the 7th, Richmond tallied three runs to cut its deficit to 6-5. The Bonnies added what looked like an insurance run in the top of the 8th on sophomore Billy Urban's RBI double, but the Spiders plated three more in the bottom of the frame to claim the victory. Richmond won game two of the series on Saturday with a walk-off single after trailing 3-2 entering the bottom of the 9th.
Richmond got on the board first for the third straight day when it plated two in bottom of the 3rd off Bona starter Jordan Crane.
St. Bonaventure got one of the runs back in the next inning. With two outs and the bases empty, sophomore first baseman Austin Ingraham singled up the middle before advancing to second on a balk with designated hitter Ryan Skellie up. Skellie then fought up several tough pitches from Richmond hurler Andrew Brockett before lining a 2-2 curveball past the shortstop for his 13th RBI of the year.
The Bonnies took the lead in the top of the 5th off the bat of center fielder Nick Brennen, as the lefty-swinging junior cracked his second home run of the year – and the first by either team in the entire series. Alex Calderon reached on an error by the first baseman leading off the inning, and senior Brad Steinbach then reached via a walk. After the next two Bona batters were retired, Brennen sent a 2-1 pitch over the right-center wall for a three-run home run and a 4-2 Bonaventure lead.
The Bonnies added to their lead in the 7th when sophomore Jason Radwan served a 3-2, 2-out, bases-loaded delivery through the right side to plate two. Senior Jamie Wallschlaeger, who had reached via a walk, and Urban, who had singled, both scored on Radwan's first hit of the series which gave St. Bonaventure that 6-2 lead before the Spiders started their comeback.
Crane pitched 4.2 innings as the junior right hander scattered four hits in surrendering two earned runs and striking out three. He was relieved by Brennen, who moved to the mound from the outfield, as the St. Marys, Pa. native threw into the 7th before being lifted for Wallschlaeger and then Urban and finally Robert Nalepa. Urban (0-1) was credited with the loss after surrendering three runs in 1.1 innings.
The Bonnies will look to halt a six-game losing streak when they return to action on Tuesday at Le Moyne in a single, 9-inning game beginning at 4:30 p.m.
