BY DAN GEYER, STAFF WRITER
After getting swept in three games at Saint Louis last weekend, the St. Bonaventure softball team welcomed the Buffalo Bulls into town on March 21 for its home opener at Joyce Field.
The Bonnies held the Bulls scoreless in Game 1 en route to a 3-0 victory. While coming back in Game 2 to win 6-1 to sweep their big four rivals and improve
In Game 1, the Bonnies (3-13, 0-3 Atlantic 10) got on the board in the bottom of the first inning, as junior center fielder Brooke Bobbey scored on a passed ball. In the second inning another passed ball scored graduate catcher Madison Stewart, who was playing in her 100th career game. In the fifth inning, freshman left fielder Oliva Santos hit a double down the left-field line to score Brooke Bobbey.
In the circle, junior Emily Phelan earned the win, throwing a complete-game shutout, allowing two hits while striking out a season-high eight batters. Bobbey had two hits in there at bats, scoring two runs. Olivia Santos also went 2-for-3 in the game with an RBI.
Senior catcher Shannon Costello said winning the first game was important for the team.
“In the past, our team has struggled to maintain leads when we have had them, so it was big to win this first game.” Costello said. “ It proved to everyone that we can keep our foot on the gas for a full seven innings.
Game 2 started out as a pitchers’ duel as just one hit was allowed throughout the first three innings. That changed in the fourth inning, as the Bulls collected three hits but could only account for one run from Mykaela Martin, who pinch ran for Lilly Lauck.
Despite trailing by a run, the Bonnies (4-13, 0-3 Atlantic 10) mounted a comeback in the fifth inning as Kennedy Haberl singled to center field to score Abby Suhr. Then, freshman first baseman Sidney Rose singled up the middle, scoring both Haberl and Reanna Perkins. The comeback was capped off in the bottom of the sixth inning as Haberl launched a three-run home run into left field as the Bonnies captured game two 6-1.
Phelan started game two, throwing 4 ⅓ innings giving up one run and five hits while striking out two batters before senior Elizabeth Lis took over. She earned the victory in 2 ⅔ innings out work, giving up just three hits. At the plate, Haberl went 2-for-3, scoring two runs and 4 RBI’s
“Game two was special because even when we went down by a run early, the energy never changed,” Costello added. “The whole team, both on the field and in the dugout was confident we could get the job done. Those kinds of games are important for us because it proves that we are a resilient group and will fight for those close games. To come off a rough weekend at Saint Louis and turnaround and sweep a midweek doubleheader shows how tough our team is.”
The Bonnies look to keep the momentum going as they travel to the Bronx on Saturday to resume their Atlantic 10 slate with a three-game set at Fordham. First pitch of Saturday’s doubleheader is scheduled for noon.
geyerd18@bonaventure.edu
