KINGSTON, R.I. – St. Bonaventure led wire-to-wire Saturday afternoon to salvage the final contest of a three-game Atlantic 10 series at Rhode Island, scoring a 12-8 victory in the finale.
St. Bonaventure built a five-run lead in the first, plating the opening run on an infield single by Alex Hebenstreit before Harrison Kaufman drew a bases loaded walk. Later in the frame, Ryan Davis plated a pair with a hit to center and Brian Carrothers completed the uprising with an RBI knock to left.
Bona's lead moved to 6-0 in the second on a solo homer off the bat of David Marshall Jr.
Rhode Island got two runs back on a hit through the left side by Jack Hopko in the third before Scott Penney homered for a 6-3 score. Two more Rhody runs crossed in the fifth as the hosts closed within a tally.
In the sixth, the Bonnies found more offense by scoring five times.
Hebenstreit forced home a run with a bases loaded walk and the big blow came from Conner Vercollone's grand slam as the Bonnies pushed ahead, 11-6.
The Rams clawed back by scoring three times in the sixth and had the bases loaded before Gilbert Saunders III put out the fire out of the Bona bullpen.
Chris Hoalcraft handed the Bonnies a bit of insurance in the eighth as he homered for a four-run advantage.
Hoalcraft and Carrothers each had two hits for the Bonnies.
Saunders earned his first win at the Division I level with 1.2 innings of scoreless work out of the bullpen. Luke Roggenburk picked up his fourth save of the year with two innings of nearly unblemished work, allowing just one hit and no walks.
St. Bonaventure (12-21, 3-12 A-10) moves on to play at Fordham next in a three-game series beginning Thursday afternoon at 1 p.m. in the Bronx.
QUOTE FROM HEAD COACH JASON RATHBUN
"Always good to get a win on the road in Atlantic 10 play. I'm proud of the fight in this group. Very tough weather conditions today and our guys were mentally strong to battle through it. We just need to play one game at a time and finish the season strong."
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