ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – The St. Bonaventure baseball team dropped their series opener against Atlantic 10 opponent Davidson, 11-4, Friday at Handler Park.
Davidson started the scoring in the top of the second.
After a leadoff walk to start the inning, Jack Cotrone sent a flyball to center field that carried just beyond the wall for a two-run home run.
The Wildcats added to their lead later in the fourth.
Two straight singles and a triple to start the inning gave Davidson another two runs, extending their lead to 4-0. Wildcats third baseman Michael O'Shaughnessy then belted a two-run home run over the right field wall, making it a 6-0 game.
Bonaventure put its first runs on the board in the fifth.
On a two-out rally, Kaufman smacked a single up the middle before Conner Vercollone blasted his 10th home run of the season over the left field wall. Vercollone becomes the 10th player in program history to record 10 or more home runs in a season.
Davidson matched the Bonnies in the next half-inning, putting up two runs to make it an 8-2 game.
The Bonnies responded again in the bottom of the sixth.
With two on and two outs, David Marshall sent a line drive to left field that one-hopped the fence to drive in one run. The RBI marked Marshall's 25th of the season. With runners on second and third after the double, Bonaventure popped out to end the threat.
Bonaventure put a run on the board for their third straight inning in the seventh. Robert Mannino came off the bench with a pinch-hit RBI single to score Vercollone, who led off the inning with a single.
Davidson put the game away in the eighth. With two runners on, Chris Schuchart sent a home run over the left-center fence, putting the game out of reach.
Bonnies' pitching struck out 12 batters on the day, led by Chance Moore with six and Cam Demos with four. Vercollone led the offense by getting on base four times.
Game two of the series is set for Saturday at 2 p.m.
