Junior Bryan Conway came through with the go-ahead two-run single in the eighth inning as Richmond stormed back from a four-run deficit late in the game to beat St. Bonaventure, 8-7, Sunday at Pitt Field and sweep the three-game series.
The Spiders, who won Saturday’s contest on a walk-off single from senior Billy Barber, scored three times in the seventh inning and took the lead for good with three more in the eighth after falling behind 6-2.
Richmond improved to 15-11-2 overall and 3-0 in the Atlantic 10 by completing its first conference sweep since the 2008 opener versus La Salle. The Bonnies fell to 6-14, 0-3.
Conway, who pinch-hit in the seventh and drove in a run on a fielders’ choice, finished the day one-for-two with three RBI. Junior Matt Zink was three-for-four with two runs and two RBI, while Barber and freshmen Mike Small and Nick Poulos each had two of Richmond’s 13 hits. Poulos, a local product from Douglas Freeman High, also scored three times.
After Richmond jumped in front 2-0 thanks to Zink’s two-run double down the left-field line in the third inning, Bona got one back in the fourth and took the lead in the fifth on Nick Brennen’s three-run homer to right field.
Jason Radwan made it a 6-2 game in the seventh when he singled through the right side, scoring two.
But Richmond began chipping away in the seventh and Poulos triggered the rally by drawing a one-out walk, followed by three singles in succession from Small, Zink and Mergenthaler to make the score 6-3. Conway’s fielders’ choice made it 6-4 and the margin was cut to one with a single from Barber.
Bona regained a two-run lead in the eighth with Billy Urban’s RBI double off junior reliever Alex Maffett, but the Spiders had one more answer in the bottom half.
Robby Massar singled to lead off the inning, JB Gadd moved him to scoring position with a sacrifice bunt and Poulos’ single put runners at the corners. Small’s sac fly to center scored Massar and the Spiders kept their foot on gas as Poulos swiped second and moved to third on catcher Mike Greico’s arrant throw.
Back-to-back walks to Zink and Mergenthaler loaded the bases for Conway, who launched a high-fly ball to shallow center. No Bonnies could reach it and both Poulos and Zink scored to put Richmond in front for good.
Maffett slammed the door with a three-up, three-down ninth inning to earn his first career A-10 victory. The junior, who picked up his third save of the season in Friday’s win, is now 2-2 with a 2.25 ERA.
The teams combined to use 10 pitchers in the game and Urban was tagged the loss for Bona (0-1).
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