Weather conditions in Wednesday's doubleheader against Niagara were not the most comfortable to play in, but the baseball team came out on top for both despite the cold.
Both teams took advantage of gusty winds that sent balls over the fences at Amherst Audubon Field. But after almost seven hours of back-to-back game play, the Bulls (12-17, 1-7 Mid-American Conference) crossed home plate more than the Purple Eagles (10-20).
In the first game, the Bulls exploded in a 13-run third inning to cruise by Niagara, 21-11. Buffalo continued its winning ways in the second game. Down 11-8, the Bulls offense exploded with five runs in the sixth inning, giving Buffalo the doubleheader sweep with a 13-11 victory.
"For us to be a good team, we need production from a bunch of different guys... the way the wind was blowing today, you had to be aggressive at the plate," Torgalski said. "Anything that popped up had a chance to fall."
Niagara jumped on top of the Bulls early in the first game. The Purple Eagles scrapped together two runs in the top of the third inning to hold a 2-0 lead.
Niagara's lead did not last long. By the end of the third inning, the Purple Eagles saw their three-run lead turn into a 10-run deficit after the Bulls drove in 13 runs.
Every player in the Bulls' lineup got at least one hit in the inning and scored at least one run in the inning. Each team continued to pile on the runs from that point on, but the Bulls were never threatened and won the game, 21-11.
The entire Bulls team produced in the victory, but both junior right fielder Charlie Karstedt and junior third baseman Shivam Bhan made the biggest impact. Karstedt went 4-for-6 at the plate with two triples, five RBIs and three runs. He was a home run away from achieving a cycle. Bhan went 3-for-5, finishing with five RBIs and three runs as well.
Junior closer Jeff Hains pitched the final two and two-thirds and got the win. He gave up two hits and one run in the winning effort.
Despite the convincing victory, manager Ron Torgalski and his team knew they had another game to start focusing on.
The second game was the epitome of a seesaw battle with five lead changes. The Bulls jumped out to an early lead, answering Niagara's one run in the first inning with three of their own. Junior shortstop Jacob Rosenbeck had a solid inning with a two-RBI single to right field.
Junior pitcher Chaz Mye started the game for the Bulls and lasted three innings. He was unable to help Buffalo hold on to the lead as he gave up three runs on three hits in three innings. He left the game with the contest tied at three.
"I thought Mye settled in nicely, walks hurt him early. Then River came in and [Niagara] hit him hard," he said. "The good thing is we kept battling and we didn't quit."
After Mye left the contest, Buffalo regained a brief lead. They scored two runs in the third to grab a 5-3 lead when junior outfielder Rob Lawler and sophomore second baseman Kevin McCall knocked in RBIs.
But, Niagara answered in the fourth inning against Buffalo freshman pitcher River McWilliams. The freshman pitcher got off to a poor start in the inning, walking the first batter and hitting the next one.
After a strike out, designated hitter Trevor Rutkowski knocked a three-run homer to left centerfield to give Niagara a 6-5 advantage. The Purple Eagles tacked on another run to extend their lead to two runs.
Buffalo rallied back in the bottom of the fifth inning. Lawler continued his solid performance and tied the game with a solo home run against Niagara pitcher Matt Jordan. Jordan made two errors with a wild pitch and a balk to give Buffalo the lead once again.
Niagara came alive in the sixth inning with four runs, gaining an 11-8 lead. After holding the Purple Eagles to a scoreless fifth inning, freshman pitcher Kevin Crumb was exposed. He gave up four runs, three of them earned in the inning, and was taken out before the third out was recorded. Senior pitcher Zach Anderson came in and got the last out of the inning.
Buffalo had an offensive explosion of their own. After two walks and a pitching change to start the inning, senior outfielder Chris Ciesla tied the game with a three-run home run. Niagara pitcher Adam Wagner walked two more batters, giving junior outfielder Bobby Pizzuto a chance to win the game.
The outfielder came through with a two-RBI double, giving Buffalo a three-run lead. In the top of the seventh, Anderson shut down the Purple Eagles, striking out two batters and clinching the victory for Buffalo.
Once again every Bull in the lineup got at least one base hit. Ciesla led the way, going 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs.
"Our game plan early was for Ciesla to only go three or four innings," Torgalski said.
Torgalski realized the Bulls needed all the hitting they could get. Buffalo's pitchers struggled, but the off day didn't matter as Buffalo had a strong performance at the plate and got to Niagara's pitchers.
The Bulls look to continue their current winning ways Friday when they host the Broncos of Western Michigan at the Amherst Audobon Field at 3 p.m.
Photo: Breadchastick / Wikimedia Commons
