By Bob Gallager
Contributing Writer
Tomorrow, the softball team returns to conference action with a noon doubleheader against George Washington. The Bonnies were scheduled to play against Buffalo Tuesday before heading to Niagara for a doubleheader Wednesday. All three games were cancelled due to the wintry weather.
St. Bonaventure swept La Salle last weekend in a Saturday doubleheader. The Bonnies outscored the Explorers 23-12 for their first conference sweep since taking two from Rhode Island April 6-7. The conference wins against La Salle were the first for St.
Bonaventure since taking on the Rams.
Sophomore left fielder Ashley Snider led the Bonnies’ offensive explosion, coming away from the doubleheader with two doubles, two home runs and six RBI.
“After sweeping La Salle, I think it’s important for us to keep our mental game as focused as possible,” senior second baseman Brittany Storch said. “This is a big weekend for us and the student body, but we have business to take care of and two more vital wins to take.”
St. Bonaventure has a doubleheader at Binghamton Tuesday before heading to Philadelphia for two games against Saint Joseph’s next Friday and Saturday. The Bonnies wrap up their regular season next Sunday with a doubleheader at Temple.
“These next three series are the biggest games of the season for us,” Storch said. “We take care of business and win these and we’re in (the postseason). These are the defining games of our season.”
George Washington (19-27, 8-8) is currently fifth in the Atlantic 10, while the Bonnies sit eighth (17-19, 6-8).
Both the Colonials and the Bonnies appear to be even at the plate. Through 36 games for Bonaventure and 45 for George Washington, both teams are averaging .246 at the plate. George Washington has hit 20 more home runs than the Bonnies, with 34 on the season, but only has three more strikeouts on the season than the Brown and White with 233.
When it comes to pitching, the Colonials also have a slight advantage, thanks to a 3.33 ERA. The teams are once again similar when it comes to opponent’s batting average; they’re separated by 1/100th of a point — .284 to .283 — in favor of the Bonnies.
Statistically, George Washington is better than the Bonnies with a fielding percentage of .948 against the Bonnies’ .934. In nine fewer games, the Bonnies’ fielders have committed four fewer errors than their GW counterparts with 70.
St. Bonaventure is last of 11 teams in the A-10 in fielding, eighth in batting and eighth in pitching against GW’s tenth-ninth-fourth placement, respectively.
The A-10 Championship begins May 9-12 in St. Louis. In softball, the top six teams from the conference make the tournament, so this weekend’s series will impact the Bonnies’ postseason hopes.
“It would mean the world to me to make the tournament,” Storch said. “Any wins after that would be icing on the cake. I couldn’t think of any better way to go out than winning a championship with my team.”
gallagr10bonaventure.edu
