Late-Game Heroics Lead Bona To Series Win Over Western Michigan

St. Bonaventure University Athletic News

February 26, 2012 WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – A pair of 8th-inning runs by the St. Bonaventure baseball team (2-1) and a trio of hits by junior Eric Jutca helped the Bonnies to a series victory over Western Michigan with a 7-5 win Sunday afternoon. After the Broncos tied the game at 5-5 in the top of the 7th, sophomore Justin Brozick led off the rally in the 8th in a double. Freshman Nate Shaw pinch ran for Brozick, and he eventually scored on a wild pitch. Later in the frame, junior Michael Meredith laced a single to the outfield and subsequently stole second before being driven in by classmate Jason Radwan to give SBU the 7-5 triumph. Jutca finished 3-5 on the day with a trio of singles as the Bonnies pounded out 15 hits. Radwan, Meredith, junior Billy Urban and senior Michael Grieco all collected a pair of hits. Despite giving up a game-tying two-run home run in the 7th, sophomore Asa Johnson got the win by pitching two innings in relief of Jordan Crane, who got a no-decision after throwing six innings. Crane scattered seven hits and allowed three runs, but only two of which were earned. The senior also struck out one and walked another. Senior Nick Brennen got the save as head coach Larry Sudbrook matched up righty versus lefty in the 9th. After Brennen got his first lefty out, Radwan recorded an out on a right-hander and then Brennen came back to the mound from the outfield to record the final out of the game. The Bonnies opened the scoring in the 1st on a pair of mishaps by WMU. Junior Austin Ingraham doubled before scoring on a wild pitch, and then Urban – who had reached on a single – plated a run via a passed ball. After the Broncos tied the game, 2-2, in the 3rd, Bonaventure responded with a pair of runs in the 4th to reclaim the lead. Grieco led off the frame with a single before moving to third on a wild pitch. A Ryan Skellie double plated Grieco, and then Meredith drove home Jutca – who had reached on one of his three singles. Western Michigan got one back in the 5th to make it a 4-3 game, but SBU answered back right away in the bottom of the inning on a Brennen RBI double to plate Ingraham. St. Bonaventure will have its lone off day of its 11-day Florida trip on Monday. The club returns to action on Tuesday against Mount St. Mary's at 2:30 p.m.