After taking both ends of a double header from Marshall last Sunday, the UB baseball team was looking to do the same to Western New York rival St. Bonaventure. However, the weather and the red-hot bats of the Bonnies would prove to be difficult opponents for the Bulls.
UB was blown away by the near gale force winds at the Amherst Pepsi Center and the 20 runs scored by the Bonnies in the first game. Buffalo started sophomore righty James Mantzanis, who had a rough outing from the top of the first, giving up a two-run home run to SBU's Mike Rapacioli who ended the game with eight RBI. Mantzanis was replaced with right-handed senior Kyle Swiatocha after the Bonnies exploded for five runs in the second.
Swiatocha was replaced by Mark Esposito in the fourth inning, but by the bottom of the third UB was already down 13-2. In the third, UB senior Adrian Daniels hit a solo home run, but it was one of the few highlights for the Bulls as the Bonnies kept up their torrid pace at the plate, defeating UB 20-6.
UB's loss in the first game was a total team effort, as St. Bonaventure was allowed 23 hits and were handed six errors by the Bulls in the field. UB's pitchers combined to allow six walks, as well.
Even though the wind was atrocious, UB head coach Bill Breene did not think it was Mother Nature that did his team in.
"I don't think it was so much the weather conditions as it was our pitchers didn't throw well today," said Breene. "The weather didn't play as big a factor to their outfielders. They were playing under the same conditions we were, they had two errors, and we had six."
Mantzanis (0-1) took the game one loss for Buffalo, allowing eight earned runs in 1 2/3 innings pitched. McCormack (4-3) got the win for SBU, allowing five earned runs in 5 2/3 innings, striking out nine.
After a humbling loss to St. Bonaventure, the second game started at 5:10 p.m. By this time what had been a maelstrom was more of a strong breeze. UB came out for the second game ready to regain some dignity from the Bonnies.
UB started senior lefty Mark McMahon while Bona countered with John Brewer. The score of game two was as close as the first game was a blow out. St. Bonaventure clipped the Bulls 7-5, but had to struggle to earn the victory.
In the top of the first, Mike Rapacioli hit a double that started Bona off with a 1-0 lead, but unlike the first game, UB countered with their turn at the plate.
RBI singles by infielders Daniels and Joe Mihalics put UB up 2-1 after the first inning. The Bonnies tied the score at two in the top of the second and were threatening again until a controversial call on a 6-4-3 double play ended the inning.
The top of third inning is one the Bulls would rather forget. UB got two quick outs before McMahon walked two batters. A wild throw by catcher Brandon DiCesare moved the runners to second and third, and a bad throw by shortstop Phil Vanhorne allowed the two runners to score and put Bona up 4-2.
Once again, Daniels lead a UB rally when his bloop single landed in between the second baseman and the right fielder. The throw to stop Daniels at second hit the base, allowing DiCesare to score UB's third run.
After getting a quick out, McMahon walked two and gave up a single to load the bases. At this point, Breene was contemplating a pitching change.
"I'll take the blame for the second game," said Breene. "I was ready to pull the trigger on him, but we had a good match up in front of us. I played the percentages and played it wrong."
Instead of making the change, Breene kept McMahon in the game and he walked the next run in before giving up a double that scored two more and put the Bonnies up 7-3.
At this point, sophomore Chris McGraw stepped onto the mound and got two outs with runners on second and third to stop the bleeding.
UB had a great chance to cut into the lead in the next inning, but Brian Zelasko was called out at first after a bunt. Many people in the crowd and on the team thought this was a makeup call for the call on the double play in the second inning.
"I think umpires have a tendency to do that," said Daniels. "That ump was awful all day at first base, he missed about six calls, but that's what you get."
After that call, UB loaded the bases with two outs before Daniels lined a shot to right center that would have cleared the bases if it weren't for a diving catch by Rapacioli.
UB scored again in the sixth to make the score 7-5 but that was as close as they would come as St. Bonaventure completed the sweep.
McMahon (1-4) suffered the loss in the game, allowing five earned runs in 3 1/3 innings, walking eight. The UB reliever, McGraw, allowed no runs in 3 2/3 innings of work. SBU's Brewer (1-0) went the distance for the win, allowing three earned runs and striking out five.
UB now must prepare for conference rival Miami this weekend.
"We're going to have to come out and play great baseball," said Daniels. "Going into this week against Miami we're going to have to play error free, hit the ball and try to win every inning."
