ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – The St. Bonaventure baseball team (10-11, 2-4 Atlantic 10 Conference) will host Big 4 rival University at Buffalo (7-14, 1-4 Mid-American Conference) in a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. on Tuesday at Fred Handler Park at McGraw-Jennings Field.
The teams will play seven innings in each game, and the contests will wrap up a six-game homestand for SBU. The Bonnies are just 1-3 so far on the homestand, losing to rival Canisius last Tuesday, and dropping two of three to A-10 foe Fordham over the weekend.
Bona senior Nick Brennen enters the doubleheader looking to maintain his hitting streak, which is currently at 16 games.
Through 21 games, junior Billy Urban leads the team in batting average (.420 – also tops in the A-10), hits (34) and doubles (seven). Brennen's 22 RBI are a team best, while junior second baseman Jason Radwan has a team-high 19 runs scored.
The Bulls travel to St. Bonaventure after losing two games at home to Western Michigan, 2-0 in 12 innings on Friday, and 6-4 on Saturday. Sunday's game was canceled due to rain and lightning.
Junior catcher Tom Murphy leads the UB offense with 28 RBI, while senior outfielder Dan Scahill's 34 hits are a team high.
The Bonnies enter Tuesday's games after losing two out of three games this past weekend in a home series against A-10 rival Fordham. The Brown and White won the series opener Friday afternoon, 12-0, behind a strong start on the mound by redshirt junior lefty Eddie Gray. In seven innings, Gray struck out seven hitters and only allowed two hits and two walks, bringing his record to 3-1 on the season. For his efforts, Gray earned A-10 Co-Pitcher of the Week honors on Monday.
On Saturday, St. Bonaventure lost in 12 innings, 5-3. Junior first baseman Austin Ingraham hit his first home run of the season in the bottom of the 4th, scoring three runs and giving the Bonnies a 3-2 lead. The Brown and White allowed the two go-ahead runs in the top of the 12th.
The Rams defeated the Bonnies, 6-3, in the series finale on Sunday. The Brown and White picked up all their four hits and three runs in the game in the bottom of the 6th.
Following the doubleheader with the Bulls, the Bonnies will play another Big 4 rival in a doubleheader next Tuesday when they travel to Niagara. SBU will enjoy its lone A-10 break of the season this weekend as each team in the conference plays eight league series over a span of nine weeks.
