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 Michael Parker tied a season-high with five RBI against St. Bonaventure on Thursday |
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Parker Leads Colonials to a Walk-Off Win Over the Bonnies
April 5, 2007
ARLINGTON, VA - George Washington (11-18, 3-4 A-10) exchanged seven lead changes with St. Bonaventure (8-15, 2-5 A-10) before scoring the winning run in the bottom of the tenth inning to take the opening game of their three-game Atlantic 10 Conference series, 10-9, at a cold and windy Barcroft Park late Thursday afternoon.
Michael Parker (Newton, MA/Newton South) finished the game 4-for-6 with a home run (8), five RBI and two runs.
The Colonials tied the game nine in the bottom of the eighth inning to force extra frames. With two outs and Tom Zebroski (Port Washington, NY/Paul Schreiber) standing on first after reaching on a fielder's choice, Charlie Kruer (Old Bridge, NJ/Old Bridge) popped-up a pitch in shallow right field. What should have been the third out of the inning, instead went in and out of the second baseman's glove, and allowed Zebroski - who tore around the bases at first contact - to score the tying run all the way from first.
In the bottom of the tenth, GW loaded the bases on three straight walks. With no outs and five fielders around the infield, Michael Parker smashed a single through the left side to drive in Bryan Hwang (Northvale, NJ/Northern Valley-Old Tappan) with the winning run.
The win was GW's third straight and improves their record in extra-inning games to 3-4 this season.
The Colonials, who recorded 12 hits and overcame four errors, were given the opportunity to win thanks to strong pitching from Faizan Choudhry (Langley, BC/Langley Secondary). The freshman threw the final 5.1 innings, setting a new career high, and allowed just two runs on seven hits while striking out five to earn the first win of his collegiate career.
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St. Bonaventure took advantage of poor GW fielding in the top of the first to plate two early runs. After a Kevin Suminski bloop-hit fell in for a single, Brian Pellegrini smashed a single that snuck past GW left-fielder Chris Marsicano (Old Tappan, N J/Bergen Catholic). The error allowed Suminski to score as Pellegrini raced around to third base and later came around to score on a fielder's choice.
GW answered in their half of the first when Parker smashed a two-run home run over the left-field fence to tie the game at two.
The Colonials extended their lead in the bottom of the second, plating two runs. With runners on second and third, Tom Zebroski sliced a single into right field that scored Marsicano. The next batter, Parker, singled on a close play at first that allowed Tim Reeves (Cumming, GA/North Forsyth) to score, making it 4-2 in favor of GW.
The Bonnies reclaimed the lead in top of the third, scoring three runs on two hits and capitalizing on a GW throwing error.
The Buff and Blue tied it once again in the bottom half of the third on a home run by freshman Curtis Eward (Oak Hill, VA/Oakton), the first of his young career.
The see-saw affair continued in the fourth inning. After St. Bonaventure went up 7-5 in the fourth, GW came back and scored three runs in the bottom frame, taking the 8-7 lead. Tim Reeves led off with a single into left center and then moved over to second on a throwing error by the Bonnies' pitcher on Mickey Shupin's (Sea Girt, NJ/Wall) bunt. Two batters later, Parker singled up the middle to drive in Reeves. After a Charlie Kruer intentional walk to load the bases, Eward reached on a fielder's choice that plated Shupin. Parker hustled to score all the way from second on the throw to first base, making it 8-7 in favor of GW.
Game two of the three-game series is scheduled for Friday, April 6, at 4:00 p.m.
Game Notes: Tom Zebroski and Curtis Eward both recorded two hits each ... Eward drive in two runs ... St. Bonaventure's Brian Pellegrini was 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBI ... GW's four errors tied their season high ... the game-winning hit came after a 17-minute power-outage delay that started just as Parker began his walk to the batter's box.
- GW -
