By SPENCER BATES
KINGSTON — Staring down the reality of being swept in back-to-back Atlantic 10 series, the St. Bonaventure baseball team was able to salvage a win in its finale at Rhode Island.
The Bonnies fell to the Rams in both games of a double-header on April 11, dropping the first game 8-1, and the second 5-3.
And over the course of both games, the offense for both sides operated at a consistent volume, unfortunately for the Bonnies, their bats just happened to produce at a slower overall rate. Rhody connected for 22 hits in the double-header (12 in the first game, 10 in the second) while Bona tallied 13 (six in the first, seven in the second).
And perhaps what the Bonnies were missing in those games was its catalyst.
Jayce Tharnish saw his nine-game hitting streak come to an end in the first game of the double header against Rhode Island. In fact, he went hitless in both games, resulting in an 0-for-9 stretch with three strikeouts.
But, luckily for the Bonnies, Tharnish was able to put bat to ball in the finale as the Bonnies jumped on the Rams early, scoring five runs in the first inning. David Marshall Jr. added another run in the second with a solo blast, a run that made a big difference as Rhode Island proceeded to score five unanswered runs of their own over the next three innings in response.
So, entering the sixth inning with just a one-run lead, Bona needed some more offense to stave off a comeback. A challenge Conner Vercollone took upon himself as he cranked a grand slam home run over the left field fence that put the Bonnies back up by six after Tharnish scored on a bases-loaded walk in prior at-bat.
Rhody put three runs up in the bottom of the sixth to cut its deficit once more, but Bona had put enough distance between itself and its hosts and with an extra insurance run in the eighth inning, was able to leave the Ocean State with a win in tow.
The Bonnies will be looking to take the momentum now in their hands into its next game, the first of a three-game series against Fordham in the Bronx on April 17, which is slated to begin at 1 p.m.
