Final Score: St. Bonaventure 3 – Maine 1
Location: Winter Haven, Fla.
Records: St. Bonaventure 1-0 | Maine 1-7

St. Bonaventure Starters: Cole Peterson (SS), Thad Johnson (3B), Ted Dilts (DH), Dylan Dunn (C), Tyler Bell (CF), Bret Heath (RF), Tyler Walter (1B), Tyler Kirwan (2B), Jonathan Diaz (LF), Drew Teller (P)

The Short Story
The St. Bonaventure baseball earned a hard fought victory on Friday, Feb. 27 in Winter Haven, Fla. over the Maine Black Bears by a score of 3-1.

The Bonnies fell behind after the bottom of the third, but wouldn't trail long as the Brown and White was able to tie the game up in the fifth inning off a two-out double by Jonathan Diaz to drive in Bret Heath. St. Bonaventure took its first lead in the sixth inning as Tyler Bell drove in Thad Johnson on a double that went over the center fielder's head. The Bonnies went on to add an insurance run in the ninth as Tyler Kirwan knocked in Danny Urban in from third. With Thad Johnson on the mound in the bottom of the ninth, St. Bonaventure closed out the game off an unassisted Cole Peterson double play.

Junior pitcher Drew Teller earned his first win of the season, while Johnson earned his first save. Justin Courtney for Maine is now 0-3 on the season. 

How It Happened

• The game went two and a half scoreless innings before Maine was able to score the first run in the bottom of the third. The Black Bears manufactured a run as Morrill scored Doran from third on a fielder's choice.
• In the top of the fifth, senior outfielder Bret Heath led off for the Bonnies with an infield single. Heath was driven in by Diaz on a two-out double over the center fielder's head. St. Bonaventure headed into the bottom of the fifth tied with Maine at 1, apiece.
• Freshman Cole Peterson made an outstanding play at short to maintain the tied ballgame in the bottom half of the fifth inning.
• Thad Johnson led off the sixth inning with a single. Johnson eventually made his way over to second base with two outs. Senior Tyler Bell drove in Johnson to give the Bonnies their first lead of the game off a double that bounced off the wall.
• After a quick bottom sixth and top seventh, St. Bonaventure made the move to the bullpen after Drew Teller surrendered two singles. Teller finished the day with 6.2 innings pitched and allowed one run on nine hits. Teller also recorded four strikeouts.
• The Bonnies found themselves in a tough situation in the bottom of the eighth and only up one run. Maine had runners on second and third with one out, but Thad Johnson, who came into close, forced two ground balls to get SBU out of the inning with a one-run lead.
• Coming off the bench to pinch-hit was Danny Urban, who knocked a ball deep into the outfield for a two out triple. In the next at-bat, Tyler Kirwan singled through the left side to score Urban. St. Bonaventure headed into the bottom of the ninth with a 3-1 lead.
• St. Bonaventure found itself with one out and runners on first and second. The game would end in the next at-bat as the batter hit the ball sharply up the middle, but Cole Peterson was there to snag the ball and touch second and throw it over to first for the final out.

Beyond The Box Score

• This is the first season opening win for the Bonnies since 2008. Coincidentally the Brown and White's last winning season also occurred in 2008. St. Bonaventure had two seasons of finishing with an even record.
• Thad Johnson now has five career saves, which puts him one back from fourth all-time in the record book.

On Deck
The Bonnies will be back in action tomorrow as they will play two against Maine. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.