Bulls Drop Pair In Season Opening Doubleheader

Nick Walczak homers for the Bulls in game one

Jacob Rosenbeck

GREENSBORO, NC – The University at Buffalo baseball team dropped both ends of their season opening doubleheader to North Carolina A&T on Saturday, falling in game one, 9-1, and in game two, 10-4. Jacob Rosenbeck (Medina, NY/Medina) had four hits on the day for the Bulls.

Zach Anderson (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville East) started the opener on the mound for UB and was locked in a pitcher's duel through five innings with the Aggies' Tim Johnson. North Carolina A&T led 1-0 after five before the Bulls broke through to tie the score in the sixth. With two out and nobody on, senior Nick Walcazk (Tonawanda, NY/Kenmore East) homered to right center to tie the game, 1-1. But the Aggies responded with an eight-run bottom of the sixth inning to regain the lead.

Nick Walczak

The eight-run sixth for the Aggies would be the final scoring of the contest. Freshman Eric Kline (Mt. Olive, NJ/Mt. Olive) worked two scoreless innings on the mound Buffalo in the seventh and eighth. The left-hander allowed just one hit in his debut for the Bulls

In the nightcap, Buffalo jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first when Chris Ciesla (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott) drove in Adam Skonieczki (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott) and Rosenbeck scored on an error. But just as they had in game one, North Carolina A&T answered back with three runs in the second to take the lead, 3-2.

In the fourth inning, the Bulls regained the lead when Skonieczki hit a two-out, two RBI single to left field. Once again, North Carolina A&T responded as the Aggies matched the Bulls with two runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 5-4 lead. The Aggies scored two more runs in the seventh and three in the eighth to take game two, 10-4.

The Bulls finish their three-game set with North Carolina A&T on Sunday afternoon in Greensboro, NC. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.

02/23/2008