By Nate West
Assistant News Editor
The softball team (12-10, 2-0) will host Saint Louis (14-18, 1-3) this weekend as the Bonnies enter the second weekend of conference play.
Coach Mike Threehouse said in order to beat the Billikens, the Bonnies will have to play identical to how they played last week when
they swept Dayton. They’ll need to pitch well and play strong defense.
“We’re working our defense, getting the ball out quick, throwing people out,” said Diana Phalon, a senior pitcher. “Also, keeping that mentality that if we keep mentally preparing that we can play with anybody.”
The Bonnies opened Atlantic 10 Conference play last weekend with two wins in a doubleheader against Dayton.
The Bonnies won the first game, 4-0, and swept the Flyers by winning the second game, 8-6. Threehouse said one of the key factors in helping the team win was confidence.
“Any time you win games, you’re going to build confidence,” Threehouse said. “It was definitely a couple of big wins because it’s a team that we have to beat out; we’re going to be competing against them for those spots in the A-10 Championship.”
In the second game, Dayton took a four-run lead early on. The Bonnies were able to catch up, and by the top of second inning were only down by one run. Threehouse said players came up big when they needed to.
“I brought Diana Phalon in, and she only gave up two down the stretch,” Threehouse said. “She allowed us to get back in the game. (Senior catcher) Brooke (Frey) had a big day. She came up with a couple big hits when we needed them.”
In the fourth, the Brown and White took the lead off of a two-run homer from Frey, making the score 6-4. Dayton got one run in both the sixth and seventh innings to tie, but a bases loaded single from junior outfielder Jessenia Andujar gave Bonaventure the winning run, putting them ahead, 7-6. The final run was scored off of an infield error made in the final inning.
Bonaventure now has the tiebreaker between the two in the A-10 standings.
“If we can just keep going from here and get the key wins that we can get, then we’ll be all set for A-10s,” Frey said.
westnl11@bonaventure.edu
