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HUNTINGTON, WV - The University at Buffalo opened its Mid-American Conference schedule with a 7-2 victory over on Marshall Friday afternoon in the first of a four-game series. With the victory, the Bulls moved to 6-7 overall and 1-0 in MAC play while the Thundering Herd fell to 8-12, 1-2.

Tyler Balentine

UB righthander Tyler Balentine (Honeoye Falls, NY/Honeoye Falls-Lima) went the distance to earn his second victory of the season. The junior allowed two runs, one unearned, while striking out three and walking one. He scattered 11 hits and was aided by five double plays turned by the Bulls' infield. Balentine was named MAC East Division Pitcher of the Week last week.

Marshall, designated the visiting team after wet conditions at UB's Amherst Pepsi Center Field prompted the series to move to Huntington, opened the scoring in the top of the second on an unearned run as Joe Shetler reached on an error by shortstop Phil Vanhorne (Scarborough, Ontario/Mother Teresa) and came around to score on Ryan Kobbe's double.

Phil Vanhorne

The Bulls tied the game in the bottom of the second. Corey Blair (Oneida, NY/Oneida) walked to lead off the inning and moved to third when Adrian Daniels (Spencerport, NY/Spencerport) doubled to left. Jordan Alcott (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) was then hit by an Aaron Smith pitch to load the bases. Vanhorne then redeemed himself by lifting a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Blair. The Bulls missed the chance to break the tie after a flyout and a pickoff of Alcott at first ended the inning.

The score remained tied until the bottom of the seventh when Vanhorne scored on an Eric Huber (Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park) infield single, giving the Bulls a 2-1 edge and chasing Smith (0-2) from the contest. Chris Meadows was then greeted by a Brandon DiCesare (Rochester, NY/McQuaid Jesuit) double to left on the first pitch, moving Huber to third. Bryan Sanchez (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua Academy) was then intentionally walked to load the bases. UB took a 3-1 lead when John Boom (London, Ontario/Catholic Central) was hit by a pitch. DiCesare then scored on Blair's groundout for a 4-1 lead.

Bryan Sanchez

UB built the lead to 7-1 in the eighth as Sanchez connected on his first home run of the season, a three-run shot to center field, scoring Vanhorne and DiCesare. Sanchez led the Bulls the past two seasons in roundtrippers and is the all-time leader with 24.

A ninth-inning home run by Marshall's Gregg Hiller on a 3-and-2 offering from Balentine finished the scoring.

DiCesare and Vanhorne had two hits apiece for the Bulls.

The Bulls and Thundering Herd continue their series on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 1:00 p.m. As per Mid-American Conference rules, the opener is slated for nine innings, while the nightcap is a seven-inning contest. UB will be the visiting team in game one and the home squad in the second game.