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Joe Mihalics

BOWLING GREEN, OH - Despite 12 hits and three-hit efforts from senior shortstop Joe Mihalics (Tonawanda, NY/Timon-St. Jude) and sophomore catcher Dan Quinn (Hamburg, NY/Frontier), the University at Buffalo baseball team managed just one run as it fell to Bowling Green in the opening game of a three-game Mid-American Conference series at Warren Steller Field on Friday afternoon.

Alan Brech (4-1) tossed six innings, allowing eight hits and striking out five for the Falcons (19-7 overall, 4-3 MAC). He on second and third twice and also left a runner stranded on third in two other innings, but managed to allow only one run, a fifth-inning, one-out homer from Mihalics.

Senior Chris McGraw (Summerville, SC/Stratford/Coffeyville CC) (1-1) nearly matched the sophomore star from Bowling Green, as the Bulls' starter allowed only three runs before tiring in the eighth. He finished after pitching 7 2/3 innings, allowing nine hits and one walk. He gave up five runs and struck out four.

The Falcons scored two runs in the second inning, as Andy Hudak walked and Josh Stewart followed with a single. After a sacrifice bunt, Bobby Majer singled to score Hudak. A fielder's choice cut Stewart down at home, but on the next play, Kevin Longstreth singled to score Majer.

After Mihalics' fourth homer of the season cut the lead to 2-1 in the fifth inning, Tyler Wasserman led off with a double down the left field line. He took third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly from Longstreth.

In the top of the seventh inning, Bowling Green replace Brech with Burke Badenhop and Mihalics led off with a single for Buffalo (10-13 overall, 0-2 MAC). After a sacrifice bunt, Mihalics was picked off at second base. Senior first baseman James Kingsley (Medina, NY/Medina) walked and Quinn doubled down the left field line to bring the winning run to the plate. However, Bowling Green brought in closer Matt Hundley, who struck out the next batter to retire the side.

In the eighth, Bowling Green scored four more runs, taking advantage of doubles from Eric Lawson, Hudak and Josh Dietz in the frame.

Hundley closed the game by tossing two scoreless frames for his third save of the year, allowing two hits and striking out three.

Mihalics went 3-for-5 with a home run and Quinn went 3-for-5 with a double. Freshman second baseman Mike Folli (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott) and senior center fielder Phil Vanhorne (Scarborough, Ontario/Mother Teresa) also had two hits for the Bulls. The top six batters in the Buffalo lineup went 12-for-25.

Lawson and Wasserman each collected two hits for Bowling Green.

Buffalo and Bowling Green meet in the second game at Stellar Field at 1:00 pm on Saturday.