CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Looking for its first-ever sweep of Charlotte (21-32, 9-14 Atlantic 10 Conference), the St. Bonaventure baseball team (23-25, 10-14 A-10) fell short on Saturday afternoon as the Bonnies were defeated by the 49ers, 5-3, in their season finale.
Senior Ryan Skellie hit a two-run home run in his final collegiate game and juniors Eric Jutca and Jason Radwan each collected two hits for the Bonnies, who were trying to finish a second consecutive season with a .500 record.
Sophomore Asa Johnson started and went four innings, allowing two runs and seven hits. With the game tied at 2-2 in the 5th, he turned the ball over to his older brother, redshirt senior Cael Johnson, who made his last career collegiate pitching appearance. Unfortunately, he was hit hard and took the loss (3-6) in allowing three runs (two earned) over just 1.1 innings. Freshman Cameron Carney closed the final 2.2 innings and did not allow a Charlotte hit while striking out two.
The 49ers jumped on the board first with a run in the bottom of the 2nd, but the Bonnies answered in the 4th on Skellie's home run. After Billy Urban led off the frame with a single to center, Skellie sent a 1-2 pitch over the left-field wall for his team-leading fifth home run of the campaign.
The lead was short lived, however, as Charlotte tied the game at 2-2 in its portion of the 4th, but A. Johnson was able to work out of further damage as he stranded runners on second and third.
Charlotte took its second lead of the contest in the 5th after Shane Brown led off the inning with a single, stole second and then stole third and scored on a throwing error by catcher Michael Grieco. The 49ers would add another in the frame to take a 4-2 advantage – a run which would serve as the game-winner.
The Bonnies were able to get one run back in the 6th on an RBI triple to right field by Nick Brennen which scored Grieco, but Charlotte plated another in the bottom of frame to conclude the game's scoring.
The loss brought to an end the careers of six Bona seniors: Brennen, Jordan Crane, Michael Pease, Grieco, Skellie and C. Johnson.
