Bulls Drop Two Straight to Redhot RedHawks

After a Tuesday rainout at Duquesne Field, the Buffalo Bulls looked to wash away a 2-5 record on their last homestand and make some strides towards turning their season around against the Miami of Ohio RedHawks on Friday afternoon at Amherst Audubon Field.

Miami was not about to be a stepping-stone for a Buffalo resurgence, as the second best hitting team in the Mid-American Conference (.316 average) thrashed the Bulls (7-21, 1-7 MAC) by a score of 13-4.

Miami tallied 14 hits and scored all of their runs in the final three innings. The RedHawks took advantage of Buffalo's inability to score runs, as they forced UB to leave a total of 10 runners on base in the loss.

The game did not start out in the RedHawks' favor, as UB's starting pitcher Chris McGraw (0-3, 7.59 ERA) stymied the Miami hitters. He allowed just two hits in his first five innings of work and struck out nine en route to a 10-strikeout performance.

Buffalo drew first blood on RBI singles by James Kingsley and David Amaro in the first inning. UB's 2-0 lead held through the first five complete innings, as MU starter Graham Taylor responded by retiring 10 of the next 11 Buffalo hitters.

Miami struck back, as they scored five runs in the sixth inning to take a 5-2 lead, and they never looked back.

Jason Brown led off the inning with a single under the outstretched glove of Buffalo second baseman Al Barbato and he quickly stole second base, to put the pressure on UB. John Stone was then hit in the back by McGraw, then Mike Ferris, the NCAA Division I homerun leader (17) had a long at-bat, before eventually powering a double into deep left field, driving in two runs. Paul Franzese drove Ferris home with a lined single to center. Later in the inning, Brian Canada muscled a line-drive two-run homer over the fence, his fifth of the year, to cap the inning.

"McGraw pitched well enough for us to win the game - if we'd have scored a couple more runs, it would have been a different game altogether for us," said Buffalo head coach Bill Breene.

Buffalo's Dustin Clark then entered the game in the seventh for his second appearance of an injury-shortened year. He cruised through his first inning of work, giving Buffalo a chance to strike back, and they climbed within one run in the bottom half of the seventh, as Buffalo's leading hitter, Joe Mihalics, led off the inning with a bunt single, which was followed up by back-to-back doubles by pinch-hitter Steve McWilliams and Amaro, but that was all the offense UB could muster.

Miami tacked on six more runs in the eighth inning, and two more in the ninth off Clark and reliever Dave Brozyna to cap their blowout of the Bulls.

"Dustin Clark is somebody who's worked hard to come back for his senior season, and we have to have him out there, as our pitching is decimated," said Breene. "We have three or four people who are down, but I thought it was encouraging that he was able to locate the ball where he wanted to."

Amaro was the most productive Buffalo hitter, as he went 2-for-4 at the plate with three RBIs.

Another bright spot for Buffalo was the play of third baseman Phil Vanhorne, as he went 2-3 along with a walk. Vanhorne also played flawless defense at the hot corner, making four putouts.

"He came in at third, and we've been looking for two things there: defense and production," said Breene. "The first half of the year we've struggled to find someone to stay at that spot, and Phil's a good player - hopefully he can start off and have a good second half for us."

Bulls Drop Second Game 7-6

Anytime you lose it's tough, but losing after rallying to within one run is that much harder to stomach.

In the second game of a three game home series with the RedHawks, Buffalo's rally came up short, as they lost 7-6.

Coming off a big loss to MU the day before, Buffalo took the field on Saturday in hopes to make up for the disappointing 13-4 shelling from Miami the day before.

After a slow start for both teams, Miami junior Paul Frietch led the second inning off with a solo home run. Miami scored again in the top of the third but did not exploit a bases loaded situation, and they could only score once on a sacrifice fly by RedHawk junior Sam Sellery.

Behind the bats of Mihalics and Wengert, Buffalo climbed back into the game. Wengert's triple scored Mihalics and pulled the Bulls within a run at 2-1.

After holding Miami in the top of the fourth, the blue and white managed three singles, coming from Chris McGraw, James Kingsley and Phil Vanhorne. Buffalo's Brian Zelasko hit a sacrifice fly scoring one to tie the game at 2-2.

It wasn't until the sixth inning that things started to heat up again.

After sitting the Hawks down in three up three down fashion, the Bulls got their bats warmed up. Brian Zelasko laced a two run double scoring James Kingsley and Phil Vanhorne.

Then the rain came - not a hard rain but enough to put out the fire of the Bulls and give flight to the RedHawks.

As sprinkles fell on Audubon field, Miami exploded with four runs in the top of he seventh, regaining their lead 6-4. Doubling for the Hawks were Matt Slone and Sellery, who each notched RBI's in the flurry.

Freshman pitcher Eric Kelly was in a jam he couldn't get out of, and the Bulls coaching staff was forced to bring in junior Matt Larson who would get the Bulls out of the inning. But it was too late; the damage was already done.

"If you don't get that lead runner out, it just gives a team like this life," said Breene. "When you've got a team (Miami) on the ropes you can't make any mistakes. Matt Larson did a great job of keeping us in the game."

The game remained at 6-4 until the top of the ninth inning when Miami scored an insurance run, putting their lead at three, 7-4.

As he often does, Joe Mihalics gave the Bulls a spark when they needed it. After stroking a lead off single, Mihalics and Andrew Wengert would score on Chris McGraw's ground ball to first on which McGraw would reach on an error. Dave Amaro, who walked to load the bases prior to McGraw's at bat was on third, and McGraw was on first.

The Bulls' Phil Vanhorne came to the plate hoping to tie the game. But after fouling off four pitches, Vanhorne was called out on strikes to end the inning and the game.

With the one run loss, the Bulls fell to 7-22 overall and (1-6 MAC), while Miami improved their already impressive record to 22-11 (6-1 MAC).

"I think we did really well," said Larson, "I think we did what we had to do. We've just got to get that last clutch hit."

The Bulls and RedHawks were scheduled to meet again on Sunday but the game was cancelled due to the rain. UB will be traveling to face St. Bonaventure University on the Wednesday. First pitch in that game is scheduled for 3 pm.