Bonnies season ends with 15-11 loss to Xavier in A-10 Tournament
May 24, 2007
DAYTON, Ohio - The St. Bonaventure baseball team saw its 2007 campaign come to a close on Wednesday evening as Xavier scored 13 unanswered run in the seventh and eighth inning en route to a 15-11 win in the loser's bracket of Atlantic 10 Tournament.
The fourth-seeded Musketeers overcame a 6-1 deficit with seven runs in the seventh and six in the eight to vault into the lead at 15-6. Five St. Bonaventure errors over the two innings aided the Xavier comeback as all seven runs in the seventh inning came with two outs and were unearned.
Senior Brian Pellegrini finally put a stop to the Xavier run and got the Bonnies back on the board in the eighth with his second three-run homer of the game to close the gap to six, at 15-9. The home run was the 48th of Pellegrini's career and gave him 59 RBI on the season tying a program single-season record.
After redshirt junior Michael Proctor held Xavier scoreless in its half of the ninth, the Brown and White came to the plate with one last chance to extend its season.
The first three players reached base to leadoff the inning as junior Josh Sova drove home senior Kieran Malone with an RBI single for the first run to make it 15-10. Pinch hitter Nick Cunliffe moved Sova into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt and walk to junior Randy Moley loaded the bases with just one out.
During Moley's at-bat, the home plate umpire issued a warning to the St. Bonaventure dugout. Controversy struck in a big way as soon as Moley was issued the walk as the home plate umpire immediately turned to the Bonaventure dugout for a second time, this time he ejecting senior Joe Rizzo from the game. After a brief meeting between the entire umpire crew and head coach Larry Sudbrook had just adjourned, the home plate umpire then turned back and ejected Pellegrini who was standing on deck.
Trailing 15-11 with the bases loaded and still just one out, junior T.J. Pennino struck out swinging against Xavier reliever Zach Richard, who had just entered the game. Pinch hitting for Pellegrini, freshman Kyle Gorby worked a bases loaded walk to score Josh Perkins to make it 15-12. Richard then got pinch hitter John Rusin to pop out to first base putting an end to a wild game and the Bonnies season.
Pellegrini finished his career with a 3-for-5 performance at the plate the included his 16th and 17th homers of the season and a season-high seven RBI. Rizzo and Sova also finished with three hits apiece for the Bonnies as they pounded out 15 in the game. Perkins chipped in with a pair of doubles, while Malone had two singles.
Joe Kohler (2-0) got the win on the mound after four and one-third innings of relief work. Kohler came into the game in the fourth in relief of starter Charlie Leesman who was pulled after Pellegrini's first three-run home run.
Junior Cody Vincent (5-8) lasted seven innings before giving way to the Bonaventure bullpen. Just three of the 10 runs given up by Vincent were of the earned variety as the lefty allowed seven hits and walked five.
The two losses on Wednesday mark the first time since the 2000 A-10 Tournament that St. Bonaventure has failed to win at least one game. The Bonnies finish the season with a 25-27 overall record.
