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April 16, 2008

Final Stats - Game One
Final Stats - Game Two

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. - The St. Bonaventure softball team posted its second Big 4 series split in as many days as the Bonnies and Niagara each captured a victory apiece on Wednesday afternoon at Niagara Field.

The Brown and White bats recorded multiple season-highs in the opener en route to a 10-6 win over the Purple Eagles in game one, while Niagara responded in the nightcap with a thrilling 8-7 nine-inning triumph to earn the doubleheader split.

Following this afternoon's series, the Bonnies move to 14-16 on the season while Niagara improved to 19-17 in the 2008 campaign.

Thanks to its offensive outburst in today's initial contest, St. Bonaventure established 2008 team-highs in at-bats (38), runs scored (10), hits (14), RBI (10) and doubles (3). The Bonnie bats wasted little time in crossing the plate as Bona sparked the scoring with a four-run first inning to create some early cushion.

With a pair of runners in scoring position during her first at-bat, freshman Kara Morenus maintained her torrid pace at the plate with an RBI single into leftfield, scoring senior Andrea Swanger. The runs continued to flow towards the dish during the frame as senior Kirstin Strong laced a two-RBI double into left. Sophomore Stephanie Narde concluded the spurt with the club's second RBI single of the first to put the Brown and White in front by the score of 4-0.

Both teams traded runs in the third before Niagara mimicked Bona's opening inning with a four run fourth frame to knot the contest at 5-5 apiece. Freshman Maggie McDonald produced half of the Purple Eagles' tallies thanks to a two-RBI single to left center. Niagara also accounted for a pair of runs with two RBI singles.

Following a scoreless fifth stanza, the Purples Eagles captured their first lead of the game when a single into left center from junior Felicia Coffey brought in her club's sixth run en route to a 6-5 edge for the home side.

Trailing by a single score heading into their last appearance at the dish, the Bonnies exploded for five tallies in the seventh to clinch the 10-6 victory. The Brown and White went through the batting order, but was sparked by senior Brianna Bricker's lead-off double to right center. Bricker was brought to the plate following Strong's third RBI of game one. Three more Bona runs were scored thanks to RBI singles from Swanger and juniors Kathryn Pazda and Ashley Kotz.

Sophomore Sherri Thompson notched her fifth straight positive decision on the mound to push her season mark to 11-6. The Ulysses, Pa. product tossed her 17th complete game of the season, while conceding three earned runs with four strikeouts.

Despite gaining an early 4-1 advantage after three innings of play in the nightcap, the Bonnies surrendered three runs in the fifth frame to let the Purple Eagles even the count at four runs each. Following an RBI single from junior Amanda Kotz, the Bonnies plated a trio of runs in the third thanks to a sacrifice fly from Strong as well as a pair of runs aided by a Niagara fielding error as well as a passed ball by the catcher.

The Bonnies regained the lead during the top of the sixth as Amanda Kotz struck again, this time with a two-RBI double into left center, scoring junior Blair Freeman and Morenus. However, Niagara tied the contest for a second time with a two-run rally in the bottom of the seventh to send the contest in extra innings.

Using the international tie-breaker rule, both clubs tallied a run in the eighth frame to push the game into the ninth with a 7-7 tie. The Bonnies failed to cross the plate in the ninth as Amanda Kotz was thrown out at the plate, while the Purple Eagles managed a sacrifice fly to clinch the 8-7 victory.

Bricker and freshman Sarah Signore each tossed 4.1 innings of work in game two, but the first-year pitcher was credited with her fourth straight defeat on the mound in relief of Bricker.

Nine different Bonnies recorded an RBI during the two-game set as the Brown and White tallied 17 overall runs on the day. Strong led St. Bonaventure with a 4-for-6 performance at the plate, including four RBI. After extending her hitting streak to seven games in the opener, Narde failed to put a ball into play during the second tilt to bust her streak.

The Bonnies return to McGraw-Jennings Field on Thursday afternoon to take on Big 4 rival Canisius. Game one of the doubleheader is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.