The baseball team took on the Mid-American Conference leader over the weekend and tried to pull off a major upset, but couldn't defeat the odds.
The Bulls (7-28, 0-14 MAC) were outscored 27-8 en route to a sweep, extending their losing streak to 17 games, keeping them winless in conference play.
Despite their poor performance throughout the weekend, the Bulls put together a strong outing in game one against Kent State (26-12, 12-3 MAC).
Buffalo jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the second inning thanks to junior outfielder Jordan Camp's two-run home run to left field that plated sophomore infielder River McWilliams. The homerun was Camp's fourth of the season, and it gave him his 21st and 22nd RBIs.
"It was good to see some of our power guys hit the ball hard in game one," said head coach Ron Torgalski s. "[Kent State's] pitching staff was the deepest we've faced all year with five potential draft picks."
The momentum wouldn't last long for the Bulls. The Golden Flashes scored three runs in the bottom of the third, and eventually took a 4-2 lead into the sixth inning.
In the sixth inning, sophomore infielder Alex Baldock drove in junior infielder Andrew Smietana with an RBI triple, leading to a pitching change for Kent State.
Senior outfielder Eric Bryce promptly greeted new Kent State pitcher Justin Gill by crushing a two-run home run to give the Bulls a 5-4 lead. However, the Golden Flashes scored a run in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game, before scoring two more runs in the seventh to take game one, 7-5.
Senior Josh Edwards was saddled with the loss for the Bulls, as he went 6 1/3 innings and allowed six runs, five of which were earned.
Torgalski was pleased with the effort, although he saw room for improvement from the bullpen.
"I thought we really played a hard fought game," Torgalski said. "Kent State is a really strong program and we went up against a tough pitcher and hit him well. Our starting pitcher Josh Edwards gave us a good effort, but our bullpen just didn't come through. Walks have gotten us in trouble in innings. You can't take a hitter off and you need to focus on every pitch thrown."
Games two and three were played as a doubleheader last Saturday. The Bulls were completely dominated and were outscored 20-3.
Game one saw Kent State jump out to a 4-0 lead by the bottom of the third inning, a cushion it would build on in all but one inning. The Golden Flashes racked up 18 hits on their way to a 13-3 bludgeoning of the Bulls.
Bryce was responsible for the first Bulls' run of the day. In the fourth inning he reached on an error by Kent State infielder Derek Toadvine that allowed sophomore catcher Tom Murphy to score. Later in the inning, Camp drove Bryce in with an RBI single.
In the sixth, the Bulls had an opportunity to cut into the 5-2 Kent State lead, as they loaded the bases with one out. Camp would come through again, plating Smietana with an RBI single. The rally was short lived, as McWilliams bounced into an inning-ending double play.
Junior Kevin Crumb took the loss for the Bulls in game one, and he went 5 1/3 innings, while allowing seven runs on 10 hits. The loss dropped Crumb to 2-7 on the season.
In Game three, Buffalo's bats were silent. The team mustered only six hits throughout the afternoon, and was shut out by Kent State pitcher David Starn. The Flashes took the final game of the series, 7-0.
Junior pitcher Cameron Copping was on the mound for the Bulls after going almost two weeks between starts. His rust showed as he struggled with his command, walking five batters over seven innings of work.
Despite the sweep, Torgalski has a positive outlook on the season.
"The guys need to continue to work hard and believe in themselves and their teammates," Torgalski said. "As long as we keep working hard, we will start winning games. Our kids haven't quit and they're going to keep working and continue to get better each and every day."
The Bulls were scheduled for a doubleheader with rival Niagara on Monday at home, followed by a doubleheader with Le Moyne on Tuesday, also in Amherst. Both series' were canceled.
Buffalo will be back in action on Saturday against Akron (9-29, 2-13 MAC). The home game will begin at 1 p.m.
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Photo: Paul Hokanson/UB Athletics
