ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – Both teams mounted late inning rallies in Tuesday's Little Three baseball rivalry matchup but visiting Niagara's five-run fifth stood tall for the Purple Eagles to move ahead and hold off St. Bonaventure in the ninth, 7-6, at Handler Park.
The Bonnies led for the majority of Tuesday's contest.
Antonio Cordeiro got the hosts on the board first with a run-scoring hit to center in the opening inning.
Bona starter Derek Duval allowed just one hit over his three innings, but it came on a Nick Cote double to right-center in the third following a walk to Nate Milk who scored all the way from first with two away for a 1-1 tie after three.
Niagara took its first lead on a sacrifice fly in the fourth, however the Bonnies would soon move in front.
Ashton Ross tied the game with a smash off the pitcher's glove and into center, scoring Alex Hebenstreit for another tie. Later in the inning, freshman Eamon Giblin gave the Bonnies the lead with a sac fly in just his third start of the season at shortstop.
Joey Calabretti moved the Bonnies ahead by two in the seventh with a hit behind the third base bag for a 4-2 edge.
Unfortunately for the Bonnies, though, things came apart in the eighth as the Purple Eagles scored five runs on three hits to surge ahead. A bases loaded walk and hit batter with the bags juiced forced home two runs for the tie, then a Bona fielding error opened the door for another run. Milk singled home a run, then Cote hit what turned out to be a very important sac fly for a three-run advantage.
The Bonnies made things very interesting in their last at-bat as Christian LaMothe doubled home a score. Then, a wild pitch drove in another runner from third as the Bonnies loaded the bases with one out with the tying run just 90 feet away and the potential winning run in scoring position.
Niagara closer Andrew Damiani, one of the national leaders in saves, locked in following initial wildness, however, for back-to-back strikeouts to end the threat for his 10th save.
Duval pitched three innings of one-run ball with three strikeouts for the Bonnies. Freshman Jack Kelly shook off early trouble to put together his strongest outing of the season as he retired the final nine batters he faced, allowing just one run with two strikeouts over four innings out of the bullpen. James Capellupo also picked up five outs in relief, striking out two.
LaMothe enjoyed a strong day at the plate with three hits while Anthony Fernandez, Joey Bruno and Ross all had two apiece.
UP NEXT
St. Bonaventure returns to Atlantic 10 play for a three-game road series this weekend in Philadelphia at Saint Joseph's. Friday's first pitch is slated for 3 p.m.
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