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Matt Johnson

BOWLING GREEN, OH - In a series that combined two of the top six hitting teams in the Mid-American Conference, the final game of the three-game set between the University at Buffalo and Bowling Green seemed an apt ending Sunday afternoon at Stellar Field, as Bowling Green scored its only run in the first inning and hung on to win, 1-0, in the rubber match between the two clubs.

Buffalo (11-14 overall, 1-3 MAC) managed to hold Bowling Green (20-8 overall, 5-4 MAC), who entered the weekend with a .308 team batting average to just 12 runs in the three game series, while Bowling Green allowed just eight Buffalo runs. Buffalo entered the weekend series sixth in the league with a .284 average.

Burke Badenhop (6-1) was masterful for Bowling Green, allowing four hits and three walks as he struck out nine for his first shutout of the year.

Junior Matt Johnson (Montague, MI/Montague/Grand Rapids CC) (2-3) rebounded from a rough outing against Canisius on Wednesday, by pitching a five-hitter, walking four and striking out three in eight innings of work.

Johnson ended up on the short end of the stick, however, as Eric Lawson led off the Falcons' first inning with a double to right. Johnson followed by walking Jeff Warnock and All-American candidate Nolan Reimold to load the bases. He also walked Andy Hudak to allow Lawson to score. However, the 6-4, 230-pound righthander rebounded by striking out the next two batters and getting a groundout to end the inning with no further damage. After that, Johnson allowed four hits and one walk as his ERA dropped from 6.18 to 5.05.

However, Badenhop performed just as well. After striking out the side in the first, the senior righty allowed only one runner to reach third base in the game. In the fifth inning, senior right fielder Andy Wengert (Utica, NY/Proctor) singled to lead off. He was sacrificed to second base and after senior left fielder John Boom (London, Ontario/Catholic Central) walked, a groundout moved the runners to second and third. Badenhop settled down to get a strikeout to end the inning.

Lawson was the only batter to get two hits in the game, going 2-for-3 with a run.

Bulls pitchers did a fine job of handcuffing Falcons' star Reimold all weekend. The All-American candidate entered the weekend with a .357 average, 10 home runs and 32 RBIs. Against the Bulls, he managed to go 2-for-10 with one RBI on a sac fly.

Buffalo will look to rebound when it travels to Sal Maglie Stadium on Tuesday to reignite the Big 4 rivalry with Niagara University in a 4:00 pm doubleheader.