Bonnies earn series sweep at La Salle, 3-0

Courtesy of GoBonnies.com

PHILADELPHIA – St. Bonaventure started fast, then added late-inning insurance to support another impressive staff pitching performance and cap an Atlantic 10 series sweep over La Salle Sunday afternoon, 3-0.

The win gives St. Bonaventure, which has won four consecutive A-10 series, its second conference series sweep of the year. The Bonnies now stand 22-15 overall and 12-6 in Atlantic 10 play.

Bona wasted little time getting on the board, striking in the first. Cole Peterson walked with one out, moving to second on a wild pitch and then stealing third. Aaron Phillips followed by driving a single to center for the game’s first run.

Throughout the afternoon, the Bonnies were benefitted by control issues from La Salle starter Luke Reilly. The left-hander issued seven walks in his six-plus innings of work, and finally the patience of the visitors was rewarded in the seventh.

Taishi Terashima worked a walk to lead off the inning, moving to second on a sacrifice bunt. Peterson then cashed in with a runner in scoring position, bringing home Terashima by smoking a double to right center. Phillips made it back-to-back run-scoring doubles by raking a two-base hit of his own down the right field line, bringing in Peterson for a three-run edge.

That would be more than enough for a Bonnies pitching staff that registered its second shutout of the week.

Brandon Schlimm started and earned his first victory of the season by working six shutout innings and matching a season-high with six strikeouts while walking just one. Danny Urban followed, retiring all four batters he faced – two by strikeout. Donovan Moffat needed just seven pitches to record three outs before Roman Wild picked up the final two outs for his first save.

Phillips went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs to key the Bonnies offense.

St. Bonaventure travels to Binghamton for its mid-week contest Tuesday with a single nine inning game slated for 4 p.m.

GAME NOTES

• Since starting the conference slate 2-4 following long road trips to Davidson and Saint Louis, the Bonnies have gone 10-2 over the last 12 Atlantic 10 games.
• Moffat made his 24th appearance of the season, breaking a tie for second all-time in program history with T.J. Baker and Nate Grant who each appeared in 23 games last year.
• Peterson stole his 19th base of the year and 57th of his career, tying Glenn Hamel (1991-93) for fourth in program history.
• Phillips went 6-for-9 the final two games of the series.
• The Bonnies have their most A-10 wins since scoring 13 in 2011.
• Baldinelli worked three walks Sunday, lifting his season on-base percentage to .426.