Bonnies Drop Second Game Of Series To Rhode Island, 12-6

St. Bonaventure University Athletic News

April 14, 2012 ST. BONAVENTURE,  N.Y. - For a second straight game, the St. Bonaventure baseball team (13-14, 2-6 Atlantic 10 Conference) couldn't overcome an early deficit and fell to the University of Rhode Island (20-14, 8-3 A-10) by a 12-6 score Saturday afternoon at Fred Handler Park. The Bonnies walked nine total batters, surrendered 15 hits, allowed five stolen bases and threw three wild pitches. Bona hitters struggled to get runs in, leaving the bases loaded twice and leaving a total of 11 men on base - tied for the third-most in a game this year and most since SBU left 11 on base against Dayton on March 24. Bonaventure senior Jordan Crane (2-1) started and went five innings, giving up eight runs - five earned - on 10 hits. He walked six and struck out two. Crane threw 130 pitches a day after redshirt junior Eddie Gray threw 124. St. Bonaventure's starters have thrown a combined 254 pitches in 12.1 innings during the first two games of the three-game series. Just like in Friday's contest, the Rams - the A-10's leading team in hitting, pitching and fielding during conference play - struck first, scoring one run in the top of the 1st before adding another in a 3rd to jump out in front, 2-0. The Rams continued to hit Crane by adding four more in the top of the 4th to give them a 6-0 lead. The Brown and White finally got on the board in the bottom of the 4th when senior Michael Grieco scored on a fielder's choice by junior Nick Lohrer to make the score 6-1. They made the score 9-2 in the bottom of the 6th when senior Ryan Skellie scored on Lohrer's double down the left-field line. The Bonnies continued to chip away at the Rhody lead in the bottom of the 7th, scoring two runs on four hits thanks to junior Billy Urban's double and a Skellie single to make the score 9-4. A double play with the bases loaded ended the Bona threat. URI then added two in the top of the 8th to take an 11-4 lead before tacking on another in the 9th. The Bonnies added two runs in the bottom of the 9th to conclude the scoring. Rams starter Nick Narodowy (1-4) picked up his first victory on the season. He allowed two runs on four hits through six innings. He walked four and struck out three. The Bonnies hope to salvage the final game of the series Sunday afternoon at Fred Handler Park. First pitch set for Noon.