Bonnies' season ends with 3-1 loss to Fordham in A-10 semifinal
May 12, 2006
AMBLER, Pa. - After suffering a heartbreaking loss to Massachusetts earlier in the day, the St. Bonaventure softball team had its record breaking season put to an end by Fordham, 3-1, on Friday evening in the semifinal game of the Atlantic 10 Conference Softball Championship.
The Bonnies' finish with a 23-22 overall record for the program's first winning season in school history. Their 23 wins and 14 conference victories are also program records. The Rams advance to their second straight A-10 championship game and will square-off against defending champ UMass at noon on Saturday. The Minutewomen defeated Fordham last year, 7-0, in the final game.
Fordham opened the scoring in their half of the second as Megan Hansen ripped a two-out single up the middle to score pinch runner Sarah Campbell from second to give the Rams a 1-0 lead.
The Bonnies tied the score in the top of the third as sophomore Brianna Bricker smashed her 10th homerun of the season, a solo shot, over the left field wall.
Wasting no time in regaining the lead, the Rams plated one run in their half of the third to take back the lead, 2-1. Lisa Busciacco's RBI single brought home Gina Capardi from third. The Bonnies were able to escape more damage in the inning thanks to a strong throw from left fielder Lauren Krieger to gun down Laura Kliaber, who was trying to score from second on Busciacco's single.
The was all the run support Fordham starter Rachel Wiggins would need as she limited St. Bonaventure to just two base runners over the final four innings. Wiggins limited the Bona bats to four hits, allowing just two walks and striking out seven. The Rams tacked on an insurance run in the fifth to make a 3-1 final.
On the flipside, junior Christine Keleher was the tough-luck loser for the second time on the day. She scattered seven hits in six innings of work. Keleher logged all 20 innings on the mound over the two days. She finishes her junior campaign with Bonaventure single season records in wins (18), strikeouts (122), appearances (30), starts (28), complete games (23), shutouts (3) and innings pitched (188).
Bricker collected two of the four St. Bonaventure hits on the day. The Albion, Pa. native, went 2-for-3 with a double and homerun. Seniors Joelle Brunetto and Lauren Krieger had the other hits.
St. Bonaventure graduates six seniors from this year's squad. Joelle Brunetto, Kristin Brunetto, Jessica King, Lauren Krieger, Molly McCarthy and Kera Strong are the only class in program history to appear in post season play twice.
