By Eustace Q. Browne
Staff Writer
As the St. Bonaventure softball season begins to come to a close, the team’s (6-28, 3-8) postseason hopes remain ambiguous. With a 3-8 record in the Atlantic-10 conference, the Bonnies sit three games out of the sixth and final spot for the A-10 tournament in the Bronx, New York.
The Bonnies, however, did make a trip to the Bronx on April 23 to play the Fordham Rams in a doubleheader at the Murphy Field softball complex. The Bonnies fell twice to the Rams losing 9-6 and 12-0 respectively.
Sophomore pitcher Carly Bilchak received the start for game one of the doubleheader. Bilchak allowed six walks, seven earned runs and seven hits over three innings. Junior pitcher Julia Pratt gave up a walk, two runs (one earned) and four hits in three innings of relief.
The Bonnies scored twice in the top of the third inning of the first game. Junior outfielder Kelli Rohan scored after senior outfielder Ashley Snider reached first on an error. Sophomore first baseman Katie Sinclair scored on a single by freshman second baseman Desiree Gonzalez.
The Rams then scored eight unanswered runs over the third and fourth innings. The Bonnies responded with a run in their half of the fifth inning. Rohan scored after Snider hit into a fielder’s choice. The Rams responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the fifth.
The Bonnies scored three more times to close the gap over the sixth and seventh innings. Rohan hit a two-run double which scored sophomore outfielder Emily Belfield and freshman outfielder Kelly Farrell in the top of the sixth, and Gonzalez hit a home run in the top of the seventh.
Freshman pitcher Kristen Hickling received the start in game one. Hickling gave up six hits and six earned runs and was unable to escape the first inning while not being able record an out. Junior third baseman Grace Rooney pitched an inning of relief, allowing a hit and an earned run.
In the second game, the Bonnies were no-hit by Rams starting pitcher Rachel Gillen. Gillen allowed three walks and struck out seven batters over five innings pitched for the Rams.
With a 3-8 record in the conference and only eight games to play, the Bonnies have a lot of work to do if they plan on making the A-10 tounament.
The Bonnies will not only have to win all of their remaining games moving forward; they also have to do a bit of scoreboard watching, as they’ll have to hope that sixth seed incumbent UMass loses out over its final eight games.
The good news for the Bonnies is that of the four opponents the Bonnies have left, three of them are playoff teams (Saint Joseph’s, George Mason and Boston University), and two of those are conference opponents.
The bad news for the Bonnies is that all of UMass’ opponents will be at home where they are currently 5-0 on the season.
The Bonnies remaining schedule features four conference games out of eight. The Bonnies are set to face Robert Morris twice on the road, a doubleheader at home against Rhode Island which are conference games, a doubleheader on the road against Niagara, and the Bonnies will close out the season with a doubleheader against Saint Joseph’s which are conference games.
If the Bonnies hope to make the postseason, they will have to win all eight of their final games, with an emphasis on capturing the conference games against Rhode Island and Saint Joseph’s.
The Bonnies are set to travel to Moon Township, Pa. today to face the Robert Morris Colonials in a doubleheader.
taff Writer
