PHILADELPHIA – St. Bonaventure outlasted Saint Joseph's to take a wild 6-4 win in 11 innings Friday afternoon in the opener of a three-game Atlantic 10 baseball series.
The Bonnies broke a 2-2 tie with two in the eighth as both David Marshall Jr. and Chris Hoalcraft delivered RBI singles to put the visitors on top.
In the ninth, the Hawks picked up a leadoff single and moved the tying run to second on a sacrifice. Conlan Wall singled to center and a Bonaventure error allowed the run to come across for the tie, moving to third on the play. Tristan Ciampa was able to avoid further trouble by registering the last two outs, however, forcing extras.
Harrison Kaufman drove a ball to the track in center for a loud out in the 10th, but both teams went scoreless in the frame.
Paul Vossen and Adam Rankie both worked walks to begin the 11th, then a Hawks error opened the door for the eventual winning run.
Jack Putney put a well-placed sacrifice bunt down the third base line and the Hawks pitcher threw the ball down the left field line in an attempt to strike down the lead runner. That allowed Vossen to cross the plate with the lead run and later in the inning Rankie scored on a sacrifice fly from Antonio Cordeiro.
Luke Roggenburk worked a perfect bottom of the 11th to secure a huge win for the Bonnies (13-19, 4-6 A-10).
St. Bonaventure scored first, plating two runs in the third. Vossen and Rankie hit back-to-back singles to begin the inning and would later both score on a smash off the second baseman's glove from Morgan Little.
Bona's 2-0 lead would be short-lived, however, as the Hawks struck for two of their own in the bottom half of the frame for the tie.
SBU had a chance to move back in front in the sixth when Jackson DeJohn walked to lead off, reaching third following a sac bunt and a fly out. Joe's starter Domenic Picone picked up a strikeout to end the threat and the 2-2 deadlock would remain until the eighth.
Bonnies starter Michael Salina struck out a career-high nine batters in six innings of work, surrendering two runs on four hits with just two walks. He struck out all nine batters through his first four frames.
Ciampa (2-2) earned the win with 4.0 innings of one-run relief, striking out three. Roggenburk struck out the final batter of the game to secure his first career save.
Wall and Ryan Cesarini each had two hits for Saint Joseph's (14-19, 4-6).
The two teams get back together Saturday at 2 p.m.
GAME NOTES
- Bona scored its first win in a game lasting 10 innings or longer since a 4-3 victory in 11 innings at George Mason April 23, 2023.
- Rankie stretched his hitting streak to 16 straight games with his 16th multi-hit game of the year. Little also reached base for the 17th consecutive contest.
- Salina's nine strikeouts are the most by a Bonnies pitcher this season. Kade Walker fanned eight in a March game at Middle Tennessee.
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