St. Bonaventure had scored just 22 runs in its first nine games this season.
But in the team’s three games against Ohio this weekend, the Bonnies scored 44 combined runs, including the 24 times they crossed home plate during the first game of a doubleheader Saturday.
It’s safe to say that Ohio (4-12) wants to put its home-opening weekend behind them and move forward.
“This weekend was a tough one to swallow,” sophomore first baseman John Adryan said. “It was just tough all around. Nothing went our way.”
Ohio fell 24-6 in Saturday’s first game, as the Bobcats committed seven errors in their worst loss of the season and used eight different pitchers.
“Some of the errors today were very much routine (plays),” coach Rob Smith said. “You hope that you don’t see something like that again, ever. It was certainly disappointing and downright embarrassing at times.”
The Bonnies (4-8) hadn’t played in the 11 days before the series began and had only mustered one win in their first nine games. But they dominated the Bobcats, which have now lost eight of their past nine games.
“(On Saturday) we were very uncompetitive in just about every phase of the game,” Smith said. “It was a lot of factors and a lot of disappointing scenarios that occurred.”
Freshman center fielder Mitch Longo suffered an injury during the eighth inning of Saturday’s second game when he attempted to make a diving catch on a fly ball. Smith said his status is unknown, but added that it may just be a jammed wrist and Longo should be fine.
On a positive note, Longo added an inside-the-park home run earlier in the game thanks to an overthrow by the Bonnies’ infield. Longo leads the Bobcats with 13 runs batted in.
Friday’s 6-4 loss marked junior first baseman Jake Madsen’s 119th consecutive start, where he led the Bobcats offensively with two hits and an RBI.
In Saturday’s first game, Adryan led the offense with a season-high three hits and an RBI while junior outfielder Tyler Wells scored a pair of runs. Freshman Nick Bredeson added two RBIs.
In the homestand finale Saturday evening, Madsen and freshman infielder Ty Black combined for four of the team’s nine hits, while Longo recorded a run, hit and an RBI. Sophomore pitcher Connor Sitz (0-4) picked up the loss for Ohio, after allowing eight hits and four runs in five innings pitched.
Ohio will play one game this week against Xavier on Tuesday before opening Mid-American Conference play next weekend.
“In these situations you learn a lot about your team,” Smith said. “You learn about who’s ready to play and who’s maybe not quite ready to play and needs more work.”
Fast Facts
Friday
St. Bonaventure 6, Ohio 4
Saturday
St. Bonaventure 24, Ohio 6
St. Bonaventure 14, Ohio 3
Ohio is now just 4-12 on the season.
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