Sometimes getting back to basics is just what the doctor ordered, especially for a team that had piled up a mere nine hits and no runs in the last three games.
All that changed Wednesday, when the baseball team scored 11 runs to win its game against the Canisius Golden Griffins, 11-3.
"I'd like to take credit for getting the hitters out of their slumps, but we just told them after that long weekend to get back to basics and swing at pitches in their zone," said head baseball coach Bill Breene.
From the outset, the players showed that they value the advice of their coach highly. Sophomore shortstop Mike Folli led off the game with a double down the right field line. He later moved over to third and crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly by senior rightfielder Carl Aquila.
Then the hits just kept on coming.
"They were a lot more patient and handled their pitches well," Breene said of his team.
The Bulls (5-17, 0-3 Mid-American Conference) managed to score in the opening inning of the game, a good sign for a team that is 2-0 when leading after the first. By the beginning of the fourth, the Bulls led by two. By the end of the fourth, the team led by eight.
Leadoff man Folli, who went 4-for-6 with two runs and two RBIs, brought in the first run of the fourth by bringing in freshman third baseman Jacob Rosenbeck. Rosenbeck also had a big game by going 3-for-5 with two RBIs.
The fourth was an inning filled with homeruns. After Folli brought in Rosenbeck, freshman second baseman Brad Agustin hit his second homerun of the season to deep center. Senior James Kingsley and senior David Amaro followed suit soon thereafter with their own homers.
Hitting was not the only thing clicking for the Bulls. Four pitchers put together a combined effort in order to beat the Golden Griffins (7-17, 1-2 Metro Athletic Atlantic Conference).
"We used four pitchers, which is pretty standard for a midweek game. McWilliams went five and picked up the win," Breene said.
Senior Sean McWilliams improved his win-loss record to 2-2 by pitching five solid innings and allowing just three hits and one run. From there, senior right-hander Matt Larson, junior Adam Ruszkowski, and freshman Steve Geltz finished off the last four innings by allowing just seven hits and two runs.
The win improved the Bulls' record to 5-17, but this time of year, it is tough for any baseball team to compile a strong record.
"The high school season doesn't start normally until the second week of April, so playing in college can be difficult this time of year," Breene said. "The team is on the road for the first month of the season, so sometimes the kids struggle to keep up their grades. It can be very taxing."
Despite the added pressure of grades, the coaching staff and players try their best to keep up.
"On the bus there is a study table," Breene said. " They can't watch movies or play card games. They have to study."
Now the Bulls, coming off a convincing victory, will set their sights upon a team they have yet to play since joining the MAC in 2000.
"We don't know a lot about Eastern Michigan. In the five years since we've been in the MAC, this will be the first time we will play them," Breene said.
He did, however, know that they would be facing two very strong Eastern Michigan (9-11, 2-1 MAC) pitchers in George Biddle, Jr. and Jeff Fisher. Both Biddle and Fisher have extremely low ERAs. Fisher's is 1.87 and Biddle's is 2.97.
"They are consistently one of the better teams in the West (Division) and are throwing the ball well," Breene said of his team's future opponents.
It looks to be a difficult road series. The Eagles had a strong showing while playing Oakland University. The team has won five straight, the last three walk-off wins.
Buffalo travels to the home of the Eagles for a three-game series beginning with Friday's 1 p.m. MAC showdown.
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew Messina, from the RMBERS' Instagram page
