MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Graduate student
Liam Devine threw 5.2 solid innings for the St. Bonaventure University baseball team, but his effort was not enough as the Blue Raiders grabbed a 6-3 victory in the final game of the Bonnies' season-opening series Sunday afternoon.
Devine allowed two runs on five hits and struck out five batters in his first action on the bump this season.
The left-hander received some offensive support in the fourth and fifth innings thanks to a rundown by
Jayce Tharnish that was able to score
Christian Szablewski, a wild pitch that plated
Chris Hoalcraft, and a solo home run from senior
Thomas Grilli.
Grilli finished the four-game series as the team leader in runs batted in with four and recorded the team's first round tripper of the 2023 campaign.
St. Bonaventure held a 3-2 lead going into the seventh inning following Grilli's homer.
The Blue Raiders (6-2) offense came to life in the late innings after Devine's day was done.
Middle Tennessee loaded the bases off a pair of walks and a bunt single in the bottom of the seventh.
Eston Snider provided the game-winning hit with a two-run single as the Blue Raiders grabbed a 4-3 lead. Middle Tennessee tacked on another run in the inning following a wild pitch.
The Blue Raiders plated their sixth run of the game in the bottom of the eighth when JT Mabry notched an RBI single.
St. Bonaventure (0-4) could not respond offensively in the ninth and would end up falling by a score of 6-3.
Hoalcraft,
Jack Putney, and
Jackson DeJohn each recorded two hits for the Bonnies.
Middle Tennessee was led at the plate by Snider and Briggs Rutter who both had three hits.
The Bonnies will travel to New Mexico next weekend to play in a four-game series beginning on Friday, March 3. First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Mountain Time.
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