GREENSBORO (March 17, 2018) – An unfortunate North Carolina A&T throwing error led to the winning run for St. Bonaventure in the Aggies 8-7 defeat to the Bonnies at War Memorial Stadium, Saturday. It was the second of a three-game series with the Bonnies (4-9) that will conclude at WMS 1 p.m., Sunday.
Despite outhitting the Bonnies 12-6, the Aggies (7-12) were held to only two in the final four innings coming up short.
Five Aggies recorded multiple hits led by senior Adan Ordonez's two hits including a home run and added three RBI and two runs scored. Sophomore Camden Williamson continued his great series. After an RBI tying single and a game-winning home run Friday against the Bonnies, Williamson went 2-for-3 with two RBI on Saturday. Seniors Myles Sowell and Greg White each had two hits with two runs scored.
Senior right-hand starter Marcello Betances pitched 5.1 innings, struck out four and gave up three earned runs. Senior relief pitcher K.J. McAlister (RHP) was issued the loss to drop to 0-2 despite not giving up an earned run because of throwing mishap in the ninth.
After N.C. A&T's redshirt sophomore Ryne Stanley tied the game at 7-7 in the seventh inning with a sacrifice fly to center field scoring White, the Bonnies Jeff Palczewski led off with a single to left field and then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Mike Magnanti grounded into a potential double play at second base, but the Aggies shortstop overthrew the relay throw to first as the ball sailed into the dugout allowing Palczewski's winning run to cross home.
St. Bonaventure committed four errors to only two made by N.C. A&T, but both Aggie errors turned into Bonnie runs.
The Bonnies led early after a first inning two-run homer by Ryan MacCarick. N.C. A&T responded with four hits in their first to take a 3-2 lead. Sowell led off the inning with a triple down the right-field line and then scored on a wild pitch. Rivera followed with a single to third and advanced on a throwing error and a passed ball by the Bonnies. Ordonez drove in Rivera with an RBI single to right field and crossed home on a single to right by Williamson.
In the next inning, Ordonez had his second RBI of the afternoon bringing in Sowell for the Aggies fourth run. St. Bonaventure cut into the Aggie lead with a run on an Aggies error in the third inning. The Bonnies made it a 4-3 game on a groundout by Brandon Henshaw that scored Sam Fuller who walked to reach.
The Aggies scored runs in both the third and fourth innings to take a 6-3 lead. Williamson's RBI single to right scored White in the third followed by Ordonez crushing his second home run of the season a solo shot to left field in the fourth.
N.C. A&T fell behind in the sixth inning allowing four runs on two hits. Freshman Ethan Chavis replaced Betances after the second batter walked. Redshirt senior Josh Bottenfield came in for Chavis shortly after an RBI single to left field by Palczewski scored Tyler Kelder. The next Bonnies run scored on a passed ball and then Casey Vincent hit a two-run RBI single to left field putting the Bonnies in front, 7-6.
