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May 2, 2008

Final Stats

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. - Following a one-year absence from the Atlantic 10 Championship, the St. Bonaventure softball team is heading back to the tournament for the third time in the last four years thanks to this afternoon's game one victory over Rhode Island. This will mark the fourth tournament appearance in school history with all four visits under head coach Mike Threehouse.

Despite its struggles at the dish throughout the season, the Bona bats flashed their power at the plate today by matching a season-high 14 hits en route to a 9-1 mercy rule win over the Rams on an overcast Wednesday afternoon at McGraw-Jennings Field.

Game two of the series vs. the Rams will begin at noon on Saturday following a pre-game ceremony to honor seniors Brianna Bricker, Patricia McKeon and Kirstin Strong.

Thanks to the game one triumph, the Brown and White continue to move up the program's all-time win chart as this year's edition now sits in a three-way tie for the second spot with 19 overall victories. The 19-21 Bonnies also own a 10-5 record in A-10 action and are now jockeying for seeding in next week's tournament.

St. Bonaventure pounded out a season-best 14 hits on the day to equal their performance at Niagara in mid April. Nine of their 14 hits were put into play during the fifth and sixth inning explosions that sealed the win. Today's nine runs also set a mark for the highest run output during conference play this season as its previous high was a five-run effort in a win at Dayton last weekend.

Ashley Kotz smacked three hits and one RBI.

Following a scoreless two innings of action, the Bonnies tallied one run in each the third and fourth frame to take a 2-0 advantage over the Rams heading into the fifth. Swanger reached the base paths in the third thanks to an error by the Ram's second basemen and advanced all the way to the plate following a double down the left field line from freshman Kara Morenus.

The Bonnies tacked on another run in the fourth due to the efforts of the Kotz sisters. Junior Ashley Kotz laced a towering one-out double into left center to move into scoring position for her sister at the dish. Called from the dugout to pinch-hit for freshman Shelly Seeger, Amanda Kotz flied out to right field, scoring Ashley for a 2-0 lead.

Rhode Island sliced the lead in half during the top of the fifth following a one-run double into left field from the nine-hitter Jackie Kampmeier.

However, the Brown and White bats exploded for seven runs over the next two innings to clinch the win via the mercy rule. With one out in the bottom of the fifth frame, the Bonnies produced five consecutive hits, including a pair of RBI singles from sophomore Stephanie Narde and McKeon. The outburst continued with two outs as Seeger was walked with the bases loaded to score senior Kirstin Strong before being capped by a Kathryn Pazda one-run base knock through the right side to push the count to 6-1 in favor of the home club.

The Bona defense responded as sophomore pitcher Sherri Thompson retired the side in the top of the sixth before the runs kept on coming for the Bonnies. Bricker led off the final frame with her second double of the game and seventh of the season, while Morenus mimicked the senior with her second double against the Rams to score Bricker from second. Ashley Kotz drove in Morenus with a single up the middle to push the score to 8-1 and Seeger ended game one of the series with a sacrifice fly into left field, scoring Narde.

Seeger posted two RBI vs. the Rams.

Not to be overshadowed by the Brown and White offense, Thompson tossed another gem in the circle to improve her record to 15-9 overall and 10-2 in league play. The Ulysses, Pa. product fanned five Rhode Island batters, while surrendering only three hits and no earned runs in six innings of duty. After establishing the single-season strikeout record earlier this year, Thompson now holds the all-time Bona one-year marks for complete games (24) and innings pitched (190.2).

Bricker, Morenus and Ashley Kotz accounted for nine of the club's 14 hits as each put three balls into play against the Rams. Seven Bonnies tallied RBI this afternoon led by two apiece from Morenus and Seeger.