By Jonathan Sawyer
Sports Associate Editor
The St. Bonaventure Bonnies (1-0) softball team earned their first win of the season against the Canisius Griffins (3-3) 3-2, thanks to late inning heroics by junior second basemen Hailey Blencowe, who was the designated hitter in the game. The game was the first game of the Charlotte First Pitch Classic for the Bonnies.
Blencowe led off the top of the seven after the Griffins tied the game in the sixth inning. She took the second pitch from Griffins junior pitcher Erika Mackie over the right-center field wall to put the Bonnies up 3-2.
The Bonnies and Griffins were in a pitching duel until the sixth inning, when the bats started to connect. It all started in the top of the sixth inning when pinch hitter Jasmine Petrishin came to the plate and earned herself a walk. Junior catcher Morgan Philips was up next and she worked a no-out single to leave two on for senior right fielder Desiree Gonzalez.
Gonzalez took the fifth pitch of the at bat to right field as she brought home both runners, ending up with a triple on the play, and produced a 2-0 Bonnies lead.
The Griffins would answer back, with senior center fielder Samantha Sharkey reaching on an error and then being moved to second on a ground out to third. Freshman second basemen Ashley Barnett came up third that inning for the Griffins and sent her second pitch over the left-center wall to tie the game at two.
The Bonnies junior pitcher Josie Borysevicz (1-0) pitched a two-run complete game. She threw 90 pitches, allowed five hits and struck out two.
Mackie threw 120 pitches and allowed three earned runs on eight hits.
The Bonnies will have a quick turnaround, as they play host team the Charlotte 49ers at 4:45 p.m.
sawyerjp15@bonaventure.edu
