ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – St. Bonaventure struck for seven runs in the first inning and made that lead stick, holding on for a 7-5 win over VCU in the first game of an Atlantic 10 series Friday inside Handler Park at McGraw-Jennings Field.
Friday's game started at an early 11 a.m. first pitch time due to inclement weather in the forecast and the teams would play through showers for most of the game.
The wet weather didn't dampen the Bonnies bats in the early going as St. Bonaventure jumped out to a 7-0 lead through an inning.
Paul Vossen opened the frame with a bunt single, moving to third on a hit through the left side by Adam Rankie. Following a Jack Putney sac fly and a VCU fielding error, a hit batter loaded the bases. Antonio Cordeiro brought in a run with a single to center, as did David Marshall Jr. with another hit to right.
A second VCU fielding error plated the fourth run of the game and a walk drawn by Kyle Caccamise brought home a fifth tally. Rankie's second hit of the inning brought home two more to give the Bonnies a seven-run cushion.
From there, VCU started the chip away.
The Rams (22-12, 5-2 A-10) used two Bonaventure errors to score three runs in the fourth, then got within a pair following a two-run homer off the bat of Aden Hill in the fifth.
Tristan Ciampa put down the Rams rally from that point.
The junior college transfer picked up strikeouts to retire the side with two VCU runners aboard in each the sixth, seventh and eighth innings as the visitors threatened to rally with the tying run on base three times down the stretch.
In the ninth, Marshall made an incredible defensive play at short with a 360-degree turn behind the bag at second for the out, then Ciampa recorded another ground out and a fly out around a two-out single to lock down the win.
Ciampa earned his first win at the Division I level with 4.2 innings out of the bullpen, allowing two hits and no runs with four strikeouts. Michael Salina started, working 4.1 innings while allowing three earned runs with six punchouts.
Rankie and Cordeiro each had two RBIs for St. Bonaventure (11-17, 2-5).
Brian Curley came on in relief in the first inning for VCU and threw the final 7.2 innings without allowing a run, walking two and striking out six.
The two teams get back together Saturday afternoon in an adjusted start time of 2 p.m. due to cold weather forecast in the morning and early afternoon.
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