ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – The St. Bonaventure University softball team battled rival Canisius Tuesday afternoon at Joyce Field in a renewal of the Little Three rivalry between the two squads, battling until darkness in two close contests.
The Bonnies fell in a heartbreaker to begin the day, 9-8, and then tied Canisius in game two, 5-5, after the game was called due to darkness.
Game 1 – Canisius 9, St. Bonaventure 8
The Griffs struck first in the top of the first, scoring runs on an RBI groundout and a single to right-center field.
The Bonnies, however, were quick to even the score in the bottom of the first when Olivia Whitecar scored on a wild pitch followed by a Kennedy Haberl RBI single up the middle.
The Bonaventure bats did not cool down as the Bonnies scored four runs in the bottom of the second to take a commanding lead early on.
Abby Suhr and Haberl started the scoring with back-to-back RBI singles, making the score 4-2. Juanita Wolak came through with an RBI groundout and Haberl crossed home on a wild pitch, making it a four-run game.
Whitecar scored again in the bottom of the fourth when Suhr reached on a Canisius fielding error.
The Golden Griffins pulled one back in the top of the fifth on an RBI double, bringing the score to 7-3.
The Brown and White quickly pushed it back to a five-run lead when Bobbey doubled home Emily Piergustavo in the bottom half of the fifth.
That score would remain until Canisius' last trip to the plate.
Canisius exploded for a six-run top of the seventh, erasing a five-run deficit on five hits in the inning.
The Griffs' first run of the frame came on an RBI single back to the pitcher and a second run on another single up the middle. Two batters later, Megan Giese stepped up as a pinch hitter and belted a grand slam over the left field fence, giving Canisius its first lead since the first inning, 9-8.
Giese remained in the game and shut down the Bonnies in the bottom of the seventh, capturing the game one victory.
Emily Phelan went 6.1 innings in the circle, fanning five.
Game 2 – St. Bonaventure 5, Canisius 5
The Golden Griffins were able to tie the game in the top of the sixth on a two-run single off the bat of Giese.
The visitors looked to plate the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh after a single to left field, but Flippin came up throwing, cutting the runner down at the plate and keeping the game tied.
Bona's was able to load the bases with no outs in the bottom half of the seventh, but Giese was able to work her way out of the jam.
The game was called following the final out in the seventh due to darkness.
The Griffs picked up right where they left off in game two, scoring a pair of runs in the opening frame on a single and wild pitch to take an early lead.
The Bonnies bats came to life in the bottom of the fifth, striking for five runs and taking the late lead.
Elyse Graham started the scoring with a sacrifice fly to left field followed by an RBI single from Shannon Costello, tying the game at 2-2. Bobbey singled home Lyndsay Flippin with a single during the next at-bat to give the Bonnies their first lead of game two. Whitecar capped off the big inning with a two-run double to left field, scoring Bobbey and Reanna Perkins.
Canisius was able to pull one back in the top of the fifth.
Elizabeth Lis went the distance for the Brown and White, striking out four.
The Bonnies remain at home for an Atlantic 10 doubleheader Wednesday against Dayton. First pitch is slated for 2:00 p.m.
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