BASEBALL

Roster  |  Coaches  |  Schedule / Results  |  News

BUFFALO, NY - The University at Buffalo baseball team dropped a Mid-American Conference doubleheader to Marshall Saturday afternoon at the Amherst Pepsi Center Field. The Bulls (6-19, 1-7 MAC) fell to the Thundering Herd (13-18-1, 4-6 MAC) by a 4-0 score in the opener and a 5-2 count in the nightcap.

In game one, Marshall got all four runs in the fourth inning. Matt Lafleur led off the inning with a solo homer off UB starter Dustin Clark (Adams Center, NY/Jefferson CC) for a 1-0 Marshall lead. The Herd tacked on three more runs in the inning for the 4-0 lead.

UB's Joe Mihalics (Tonawanda, NY/Timon/St. Jude) led UB's nine-hit attack in the opener with three hits and Chris McGraw (Summerville, SC/Coffeyville CC) added a pair.

Marshall's Chris Koutsavlis (4-1) went the distance to pick up the seven-inning shutout. Clark (2-3) took the loss on the mound for the Bulls despite striking out seven in five innings. Matt Franklin (Rochester, NY/Greece-Athena) pitched two hitless innings in relief.

Marshall opened the scoring in game two with an RBI-double by Craig Dzidziejko plating Corie O'Brien in the fourth inning with the first run of the contest.

UB countered with a run in its half of the fourth. John Boom (London, Ontario/Catholic Central) reached on an error, later stole second and moved to third when catcher Gregg Hiller's throw sailed into center field. The Bulls tied the game when Kevin Nesteruk (Cheektowaga, NY/West Seneca East) plated Boom with a single down the left field line.

Marshall took the lead for good in the fifth when Adam Frederick scored from second after Lafleur's sacrifice attempt was thrown away. Marshall tallied three more runs off UB starter Tyler Balentine (Mendon, NY/Honeoye Falls-Lima) for a 5-1 lead.

The Bulls mounted a rally in the eighth as Mihalics singled to lead off the frame. Mihalics later moved to second on a passed ball and scored when Boom knocked a base hit to left center for a 5-2 score. However, this was as close as the Bulls would get in game two.

Boom was the lone Bull with mulitple hits in the second game as he rapped out two of UB's six in the contest. Balentine (0-4) pitched six strong innings allowing three earned runs and striking out four. Mark McMahon (West Seneca, NY/Timon/St. Jude) was stellar in relief, throwing three scoreless innings and fanning two. Steve Ziroli (3-1) picked up the win for Marshall with Chris Meadows picking up his third save of the season.

The Bulls and Thundering Herd conclude their four-game weekend series with another doubleheader on Sunday at Amherst Pepsi Center Field. First pitch of game one is slated for 1 pm.