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April 15, 2008

Final Stats - Game One
Final Stats - Game Two

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. - Despite failing to cross the plate in its home opener following 26 consecutive contests away from home, the St. Bonaventure softball team plated eight runs in the nightcap to earn a series split with Buffalo earlier this afternoon at McGraw-Jennings Field.

The Bulls sent three home runs over the fence in game one to snap the Brown and White's four game winning streak en route to a 6-0 victory in the opener. The Bonnies responded in the nightcap with an 8-3 win to break a four-game non-conference losing skid.

Following today's doubleheader split, St. Bonaventure moves to 13-15 (7-3) on the season, while the Bulls dropped to 4-24 in the 2008 campaign.

Thanks to back-to-back home runs from sophomore Kristen Gallipani, Buffalo broke open a scoreless game after two innings to take an early 4-0 advantage over the Bonnies. The Brewster, N.Y. native led off the top of the third frame with a shot to left center field before raking a three-run yard ball in her next at-bat.

The Bulls tacked on an additional two runs in their final attempt at the dish to produce the final 6-0 count. After a leadoff triple down the right field line from junior Erin Zilka, Dana Carter brought her fellow classmate to the dish following a ground out to second base. Senior Lacy Schneider concluded the scoring with a pinch-hit bomb over the left field fence for the Bulls' third homer of the game.

The Bona bats managed just three hits in game one off winning pitcher Sharon Barr. The senior ace earned her first win of the season thanks to six strikeouts and seven innings of scoreless work. The Bonnies only threatened in the fourth and fifth frames, but left four combined runners on base during the two-inning span.

Freshman pitcher Sarah Signore dropped her third straight decision to fall to 1-5 in her first collegiate season. The Greencastle, Pa. product fanned four Bulls' batters in her third career complete game.

Game two proved to be a different story for Brown and White offense as the club opened the contest with a pair of runs in the first inning for a 2-0 edge. Junior Kathryn Pazda sparked the inning with a leadoff walk and eventually moved to third base thanks to a single up the middle from senior Brianna Bricker. With runners at the corners, freshman Kara Morenus continued her hot hitting at the plate with a two-RBI double into left field.

Buffalo answered in the next frame with two runs of its own to even the count at 2-2. A pair of Bona fielding errors led to the Bulls' two tallies as freshman Candice Sheehan crossed the plate following an error by Narde and senior Mary Russell easily advanced to the dish after an effort to catch a stolen base attempt at second.

However, the Brown and White retaliated with six overall runs in the fourth and fifth innings to take the lead for good at 8-2. Morenus started the surge in the bottom of the fourth with her third home run of the season before the Bona bats exploded for five tallies in the fifth.

After Bricker's second single of the day loaded the bases, senior Kirstin Strong laced a double into right center to clear the bases and put the home side in front by five runs at 7-2. Senior Andrea Swanger and Narde also added a pair of RBI singles during the Bona burst.

The Bulls added one run in the sixth as Gallipani picked up her fifth RBI of the afternoon with a single through the left side.

Bricked notched her second win of the season and ninth career triumph on the mound. She surrendered just one earned run against the Bulls, while striking out six in a full seven innings.

Narde extended her hitting streak to six games thanks to a single in each contest. Morenus and Strong each finished game two with identical 1-for-3 performances at the plate and a trio of RBI. The three RBI for Morenus establishes a new career-high for the first-year catcher as she has brought in at least one run in five of the last seven games.

The Brown and White return to action tomorrow afternoon as the club travels to Big 4 rival Niagara for a pair of games. Game one of the doubleheader is scheduled for a 3:00 p.m. start.