LOUISVILLE, Ky. – St. Bonaventure scored one of its biggest wins on the diamond in recent memory as the Bonnies took down Louisville, 4-3, in eight innings Friday afternoon in the opener of a four-game series at Patterson Stadium.
The Bonnies (2-3) rallied from a 3-0 hole as Louisville scored three times in the first.
That score stuck until the fifth when Mark Darakjy started the rally with a one-out double. Chris Hoalcraft then fought off several tough pitches in a nine-pitch at-bat, finally launching a double to right-center for Bona's first run and a 3-1 score.
Graduate captain Jack Putney, playing in his 100th career game, tied the game in the sixth as he just cleared the right field fence for a two-run homer off preseason All-American left-handed starter Sebastian Gongora. It was Putney's third homer of the young season, all of the two-run variety.
By that point, Bona starter Chance Moore (1-0) was cruising.
The early struggles long behind him, Moore set down the Cardinals in order in the sixth and seventh innings to force extras in what was set for a seven-inning contest.
David Marshall Jr. walked to lead off the eighth, setting the table for Adam Rankie who would play the role of the hero.
Rankie spoiled a pair of two-strike deliveries from Louisville reliever Jared Lessman, then got a fastball he could tattoo, splitting the left-center field gap. Marshall hustled home from first as Rankie's second hit of the day went all the way to the wall, sliding in with what would be the game-winning run.
Moore erased a one-out single in the last of the eighth by picking off Louisville's pinch runner from first, then coaxed a ground out on the right side to end it and seal the win.
Bona's redshirt junior starting right-hander, making his first start in a Bonaventure uniform, worked a complete game while scattering eight hits for three runs without a walk and striking out four. Moore threw 88 pitches, tossing 62 for strikes.
Rankie had two of the Bonnies' five hits in the game.
For the Bonnies, it was their first win over a Power 5 opponent since scoring an 18-6 win at Penn State April 3, 2019. It was the first game of any kind for the Bonnies against an ACC foe since a 15-14 extra innings win over Boston College back on March 1, 2008.
In the nightcap, Louisville (1-4) earned its revenge.
The Cardinals struck for six runs in the first and never looked back, plating offense in every frame and cruising to a 21-3 victory.
Bona's bright spots came mostly from Morgan Little who scored two runs with a double down the right field line in the fourth, then led off the seventh with his second two-bagger of the night which led to a sacrifice fly from Jayce Tharnish.
Louisville had seven players with two hits apiece, led by three RBIs from both Michael Lippe and Gavin Kilen.
The two teams get back together for the third game of the series Saturday at 1 p.m.
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