Bona Baseball Splits Doubleheader With Little Three Rival Niagara

St. Bonaventure University Athletic News

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. – After dropping the opening game of a doubleheader against Niagara (11-17) on Tuesday afternoon at Sal Maglie Stadium, 5-2, the St. Bonaventure baseball team (13-12) bounced back with an 8-2 win in the second contest to split the pair of 7-inning games with its Little Three rival. With the second game tied a 2-2 in the top of the 7th, junior Austin Ingraham delivered an RBI single up the middle to break the deadlock, and a second run scored on the play following a fielding error by the Niagara center fielder. A little later in the inning with the bases loaded, senior catcher Michael Grieco delivered a bases-clearing triple to right and scored himself after an errant throw home by the NU right fielder. Ingraham finished the double-dip with four hits and pair of RBI, while Grieco had two hits and three RBI. Junior Jason Radwan pounded out a quartet of hits as well, including a 3-for-4 effort in the second game, while also scoring three runs. After going hitless in the first game, senior Ryan Skellie went 2-for-4 in game two. Junior Austin Ingraham collected four hits and a pair of the RBI on the afternoon against the Purple Eagles. Niagara opened the scoring in the first game with a run in the opening inning before the Bonnies got that tally back in the 2nd with a sacrifice fly to center off the bat of sophomore Justin Brozick. Bonaventure then took the lead the next inning, once again compliments of an Ingraham RBI single up the middle. The Purple Eagles pulled even in the bottom of the 5th off SBU starter Asa Johnson. Johnson (2-2) went six innings, scattering seven hits and allowing just one earned run (two overall). Senior Nick Brennen pitched the 7th inning and escaped a bases-loaded jam with a game-ending double play. In the first game, the Bonnies struck first with a pair of runs in the top of the 3rd. After junior Michael Meredith had walked, Radwan sent his first triple of the season down the right-field line to score Meredith. A Billy Urban RBI double then followed to plate Radwan. Unfortunately for the Brown and White, that's all the scoring they would get the rest of the game. In the 4th inning, Niagara's eighth-place hitter, Thomas Rodrigues, sent Bona starter Cael Johnson's offering over the right-field wall for a three-run home run. The Purple Eagles then tacked on a run in each of the next two innings for the final 5-2 margin. Johnson (1-4) suffered the loss after throwing five innings and allowing four earned runs, seven hits and one walk. Senior Jordan Crane pitched the 6th inning and allowed Niagara's fifth run of the game – an unearned tally – while striking out a pair and surrendering two hits. St. Bonaventure returns home to Fred Handler Park for a crucial Atlantic 10 Conference weekend series against Rhode Island. The three-game set against the league's second-place team begins Friday afternoon at 3 with redshirt junior Eddie Gray on the hill for the Bonnies.