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Sept. 16, 2007

AMHERST, N.Y. - After cold weather settled in the Western New York area this weekend, the St. Bonaventure softball bats needed four games to warm up before posting a 9-1 third place consolation victory over Buffalo in the Canisius/Nan Harvey Fall Classic earlier this afternoon.

Niagara finished the weekend a perfect 5-0 en route to a 4-3 championship victory over Canisius. The Bonnies recorded a weekend record of 2-3.

"We played great defense and received good pitching, but we need to continue getting better with our hitting," said head coach Mike Threehouse. "If we can improve with our bats, we can make some noise in the spring."

The Brown and White offensive attack came to life against the Bulls, scoring more runs in the final contest than in its previous four games combined. Junior Ashley Kotz avenged Saturday's 5-3 loss to Buffalo with a game-clinching three-run double that ended the game via the mercy rule. The Williamsville, N.Y. native finished 2-4 from the plate with four RBI against the Bulls.

Senior Brianna Bricker sprayed two hits into play including a two-run double. Juniors Andrea Swanger and Kathryn Pazda posted two hits each.

Sophomore Sherri Thompson notched her second victory of the tournament with six innings of work in the finale. Thompson allowed only three hits in the contest and struck out five Bulls batters.

A walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh inning was all Canisius needed for a 1-0 victory over the Bonnies in this afternoon's first game.

Bricker provided six scoreless innings of work with one strikeout, before walking the eventual winning run to lead off the seventh inning. Thompson came in for relief in the final inning and surrendered the Golden Griffins' game-wining walk-off single to end the game.

Swanger and freshman Samantha Rajski mustered the club's only hits in the opening round defeat.

The Brown and White will return to action on Saturday, Sept. 22, at noon for the team's annual Alumnae game at McGraw-Jennings Field. The Bonnies will then host Pitt-Bradford the following day for a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m.