ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – The St. Bonaventure baseball team struggled to push across runs on Tuesday, March 18 as they fell 2-0 in game one and then 3-2 in game two against the Niagara Purple Eagles at Fred Handler Park. After an offensive outburst against Ohio, the Bonnies' bats cooled down as they only earned two runs on eight hits in the two games.

Game 1: Niagara 2 | St. Bonaventure 0

In a slow paced game, St. Bonaventure attempted to continue the momentum from their four-game winning streak but was halted by the Purple Eagles on Tuesday by a score of 2-0. Niagara would jump out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning and then later tack one on in the third. Errors would be an issue for the Bonnies as they recorded three on the day, two of them coming from back-to-back plays in the third inning.

In the first inning, Niagara University was able to get on the score board first, when Anthony Firenzi led off the ballgame with a single to left field on a two-two count. After advancing to second base on a wild pitch, Joel Klock pushed Firenzi over to third with a groundout. With the next at-bat, Michael Fuhrman knocked in Firenzi for the one-run lead over the Brown and White with a single to right field.

The Purple Eagles would benefit from errors in the third inning to give them their second run of the game. With one out, Klock reached second base from a throwing error by Tommy Styn, when he overthrew Joel Rosencrance at first and the ball went out of play. In the next at-bat, Fuhrman reached on a throwing error by Ryan Cox that allowed Klock to score from second.

In the seven-inning game, St. Bonaventure only registered three hits, including hits from Jonathan Diaz, Cox and Styn. Thad Johnson started his first official collegiate baseball game as he threw for five innings with five hits and five strikeouts. Daniel Trimble would come in at the beginning of the sixth in relief. He went on to throw two scoreless innings with four strikeouts.

Game 2: Niagara 3 | St. Bonaventure 2

The St. Bonaventure baseball team looked to bounce back from an early 2-0 defeat in game two but was haunted by errors again and lost to the Purple Eagles, 3-2. The Bonnies surged to an early two-run lead after two but squandered the lead and gave up two of their own in the fifth. Niagara went on to get the game-winner in the top of the ninth to hand St. Bonaventure its 10th loss of the season.

The Brown and White were finally able to put a run on the board in the second inning. Tyler Bell would get things started as he singled to right field. Brian Weightman would follow suit as he singled to the outfield to give the Bonnies two runners with no outs. After Cox bunted the runners over, Jonathan Diaz singled to center field that drove in Bell and Weightman from second and third, respectively.

The Bonnies would lead the game until the top of the fifth inning, when Niagara was able to touch home twice due to two errors in the inning. The Purple Eagles found themselves with two runners on base with no outs after back-to-back singles from Jordan Schwartz and Mark Meisner. After a SAC bunt from Joel Brophy to advance the runners, Pavel Chavez-Rusova would reach first on a throwing error by the shortstop, which allowed Schwartz to score. Before the next at-bat, Robert Hansen came in as a pinch-runner for Chavez-Rusova that proved to be the right decision for Niagara. As Hansen attempted to steal second base, Trimble would hit him in the back on the throw and allowed Meisner to score from third

After three scoreless innings, Niagara tacked on the final run of the game in the top of the ninth from a Hackett double down the left field line to score Greg Rodgers from first. St. Bonaventure would get a runner on base in the bottom of the ninth but failed to capitalize.

Up Next:
The St. Bonaventure baseball team hits the road this weekend (March 21-March 23) for an Atlantic 10 match-up against the VCU Rams in Richmond, Va. The Bonnies are set for a three-game series between the Rams.