Baseball completes first sweep in 30 years

A trip to Olean, N.Y., gave the baseball team a boost to what has thus far been a disappointing season.

The Bulls took both games of a doubleheader against Big 4 rival St. Bonaventure on Wednesday afternoon, 8-5 and 8-4, respectively.

Buffalo (9-24) came from behind in both games and registered its first doubleheader sweep against the Bonnies since 1972.

"We basically got all three components. We got good hits, made good plays defensively and got good pitching all afternoon" said Buffalo head coach Bill Breene. "I think they played with confidence all afternoon. I was real proud of them. They never quit."

The first game of the day began at 2 p.m. as freshman pitcher Steve Geltz took the mound for the Bulls against Bonaventure's John Nolan. Buffalo jumped out to a 1-0 lead when senior first baseman James Kingsley doubled in senior center fielder Carl Aquila.

St. Bonaventure (13-14) took the lead away from Buffalo the next inning, though, thanks to a two run home run to left by Brian Pellegrini.

Trailing 3-2 in the top of the fifth, Buffalo began a two-out rally. Aquila and Kingsley both singled and put runners on the corners for junior catcher Dan Quinn. Quinn responded with an RBI single to left that scored Aquila. Senior left fielder David Amaro then came to the plate with runners on first and second. Amaro took the offering from Nolan and drove it over the fence in left-center for a three-run homerun and a 6-2 Buffalo lead.

Senior pitcher Matt Larson replaced Geltz in the bottom of the fifth. Geltz struck out five and walked three while giving up three runs and five hits over four innings for the freshman's first win of the year.

"We got a good start out of Steve Geltz," Breene said. "He battled. I thought he was behind in the count on a few too many batters but he kind of battled his was out of it."

St. Bonaventure's Joe Rizzo cut the lead to two with a home run over the right-centerfield fence on Larson's first pitch. However, Larson allowed only one more baserunner over the next two innings while striking out three.

Buffalo's offense added two more runs in the top of the sixth on the backs of run-scoring singles from freshman shortstop James Agustin and Kingsley.

Junior pitcher Adam Ruszkowski came on to finish off the Bonnies in the ninth, striking out two and walking one in his one inning of work.

"It looked like we might have had it in hand but we were scrambling," Breene said. "They were chipping away with men on base in the fifth, sixth and seventh but Adam came in and finished them off."

Kingsley led the Bulls' offense with a 4-for-4 day at the plate and three RBIs. Only one Buffalo hitter went hitless.

Nolan took the loss for Bonaventure in game one. The sophomore hurler gave up eight runs, six earned, on 10 hits and struck out three, while walking one over five-and-a-third innings.

The Bonnies got on the board first in game two, in the bottom half of the first inning.

Bonaventure tagged Buffalo's freshman starter Zach Anderson for two runs on RBI singles from Pellegrini and Mardeusz.

The Bulls responded by scoring a run in each of their next three turns at bat.

Bonaventure posted a rally in the bottom of the fifth frame, beginning with a solo home run off the bat of Randy Moley. After a walk and a single, sophomore lefthander Shane Wolf was called in for Anderson. A Mardeusz single allowed both of Anderson's runners to score and the Bonnies jumped back on top, 5-3.

Anderson finished the day with four strikeouts and only one walk, but gave up nine hits and allowed five earned through four innings pitched.

Buffalo rallied late again, this time in the top half of the sixth inning.

Bonaventure's Sean Bruet, inserted for Kerr in the top of the fifth, allowed a single to Rosenbeck and walked freshman right fielder James Piazza and Flynn to load the bases for sophomore second baseman Mike Folli. Folli responded with a single through the right side that scored Rosenbeck and Piazza. Agustin then singled in Flynn from third and the rally was complete as the Bulls regained the lead 6-5.

"We finally got timely hitting," Breene said. "And when they got on we drove them in."

Buffalo tacked on two more in the top of the seventh after Quinn home run knocked in Kingsley.

The Buffalo bullpen took over after the fifth and shut down the Bonnies' bats. Through three innings of work, Wolf, senior weekend starter Sean McWilliams, and Ruszkowski allowed only one hit, struck out five and walked none. Wolf took the win for Buffalo, his first of the year.

"Adam came out and pounded the strike zone," Breene said. "He came right out on all three hitters and ended up striking out two of three hitters. That was big."

Bruet took the loss for St. Bonaventure. The pitcher allowed five runs on six hits, while striking out two and walking two over three innings of work.

Buffalo's next game is Friday, when the Bulls will host the Ohio Bobcats at Amherst Audubon Field. The game is scheduled for 3 p.m. and is a part of a three-game series between the Bulls and the Bobcats this weekend.