The
Canisius College baseball team split a doubleheader at St. Bonaventure on
Wednesday afternoon. The Golden Griffins won the first game 2-0 and then lost
1-0 in the second game, which was called after four-and-a-half innings due to
lightning. Canisius is now 18-21 on the season.
The
Griffs scored twice in the top of the seventh to win the opener. Freshman Jimmy Luppens singled to third and then
advanced to second base on a throwing error. After pinch runner Ryan Coppinger moved to third on a wild pitch, senior Andrew Russo drew a walk. Senior Nat Barone then singled to the pitcher
to load the bases with no outs. After Coppinger was thrown out at the plate on a fielder's
choice, freshman Shane Zimmer
followed with a single to center to score Russo and make it 1-0. The Griffs
added an insurance run on a sacrifice fly from senior Sean Jamieson to put Canisius up by two.
Four
Canisius pitchers combined on the shutout. Freshman Garrett Cortright, making his first start since March 18, threw
three shutout innings, allowing three hits and walking three. Senior Josh Marshall relieved Cortright and
threw 2.2 shutout innings, allowing one hit, walking one and striking out one to earn the win. Redshirt senior Chris Cox allowed two hits and one walk
in the seventh, but got a double play with the bases loaded to record his first
save of the year.
St.
Bonaventure scored once in the bottom of the fourth of the second game, which
proved to be enough. Jason Radwan led off the fourth with a single, moved to
second after Austin Ingraham was hit by a pitch and scored on an RBI single
from Billy Urban.
Canisius
only had one runner in scoring position in the game as senior Brian Burton had a one-out, ground-rule
double in the second, however Burton would be stranded there. The Griffs hit into
two double plays in the five innings.
Junior
Alex Tufts (3-1) took the loss,
allowing the one run in 3.2 innings. Redshirt sophomore Nathan Linseman got the final out of the fourth. Nick Brennen threw
five shutout innings for the Bonnies to earn the win.
Canisius,
sitting at 6-4 and in third place in the MAAC, returns to the field for a
three-game series against second-place Rider University this weekend. Game time
for Saturday's doubleheader is set for noon.
