Saturday, February 25, 2012

Baseball Drops First Game Of Season To Western Michigan, 6-4


Due to no traveling staff, and no host institution in Florida, box scores for all games during the trip will be delayed. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
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WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The St. Bonaventure baseball team opened its 2012 season Friday afternoon with a 6-4 setback to the Western Michigan Broncos.

Despite out-hitting Western Michigan, 15-10, and having five players record multiple hits, the Bonnies couldn't overcome 10 combined walks from their pitching staff.

Junior Michael Meredith led the quintet of multiple-hit Bona player with a 3-5 effort on a pair of singles and a triple. Senior Michael Grieco also went 3-5 and picked up a pair of RBI singles. Classmates Nick Brennen and Ryan Skellie each added a couple of hits, while junior Jason Radwan collected two hits as well.

Junior Andrew Revello took the loss in relief as he allowed three earned runs over the course of two innings in which he walked a pair and gave up three hits. Redshirt junior Eddie Gray got the start and earned a no-decision after tossing five innings and surrendering three earned runs. The southpaw allowed six hits while striking out three, but got into trouble with six walks.

After the Broncos opened the game with a pair of runs in the top of the 1st, the Bonnies responded in the bottom of the frame to even the score at 2-2. After leading off the home portion of the inning with a triple, Meredith scored on a Grieco single. A little later in the frame, Brennen drove home junior Billy Urban – who had reached via a hit by pitch – with a single.

WMU reclaimed the lead, 3-2, in the top of 2nd, and the score remained that way until Bona answered in the 4th. Meredith – who had reached on a fielder's choice – scored on an Urban single to knot the game at 3-3.

The Broncos plated two runs in the 6th off Revello, but the Bonnies got one of those back in the bottom of the frame with a Grieco single to plate Meredith – who had led off with a single.

Unfortunately for SBU, that's as close as it would get the rest of the day as the Broncos added an insurance run in the 7th.

"For it being our first game, I thought that overall we played a pretty well," head coach Larry Sudbrook said. "We hit pretty well, we fielded pretty well, but we just couldn't overcome 10 walks."

In addition to his three hits, catcher Grieco also threw out all three attempted base stealers on the afternoon. Sophomore Asa Johnson threw two innings in relief, surrendering one hit while striking out one and walking a pair.

The contest against the Broncos was the first of 10 scheduled games Bona will play while in Florida for 11 days. The Bonnies return to action on Saturday at 2 p.m. as they once again will meet Western Michigan. Redshirt senior Cael Johnson will get the start for the Bonnies as they look for their first win of the campaign.

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