James Kingsley

OXFORD, OH - Brian Canada scored Eric Radley and Ryne Robinson with a two-out, bottom of the ninth-inning single down the right field line to lift Miami (OH) to its 16th consecutive win against the University at Buffalo baseball team, winning 6-5, in Mid-American Conference action on Saturday afternoon at McKie Field.

Junior James Kingsley (Medina, NY/Medina) broke out of a 2-for-26 slump by going 2-for-4 with two home runs, accounting for all five Buffalo runs.

Batting in the five-hole, Kingsley put Buffalo (11-18 overall, 1-5 MAC) up 3-0 in the third inning when freshman second baseman Mike Folli (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott) led off the inning with a single and senior center fielder Phil Vanhorne (Scarborough, Ontario/Mother Teresa) followed with a single. After a sacrifice and a ground out, Kingsley stepped up and pounded the first pitch he saw over the left field fence.

He kept the pressure on the RedHawks (22-12 overall, 6-2 MAC) when he came up in the fifth. Senior shortstop Joe Mihalics (Tonawanda, NY/Timon-St.Jude) led off the inning with a double down the left field line and after a groundout, Kingsley sent his 15th career home run over the wall in left center field. Kingsley now has eight homers on the season, good for a tie for second-best since UB joined the MAC in 2001. He is also tied for third with Doug Olsson (1979-82) in career round-trippers and in ninth-place all-time in RBIs (78).

Matt Johnson

Junior transfer Matt Johnson (Montague, MI/Montague/Grand Rapids CC) tossed his second straight strong start for Buffalo, pitching six scoreless innings to start the game after pitching seven scoreless frames in a 1-0 loss to Bowling Green on Sunday. In the seventh, however, a hit batter, two singles and an RBI double from Robinson helped score two runs. In the eighth, Johnson gave up a leadoff triple to Canada before being lifted for senior southpaw Anthony Marchioli (Buffalo, NY/West Seneca West/Erie CC). Marchioli allowed Canada to score on a grounder before giving up a home run to Jon Franzese, setting up the ninth-inning heroics from Canada.

Johnson finished with seven innings worked, 10 hits and two walks allowed, yielding three runs. Freshman Tony Kurtz (Newfane, NY/Newfane) (3-2) took the loss, giving up two hits, a walk and two runs.

Miami starter and 2003 MAC Freshman of the Year Graham Taylor, who was 2-0 with a 3.52 ERA, was roughed up, allowing three runs and six hits in three innings. Connor Graham (4-3) picked up the win after tossing a scoreless ninth for the RedHawks, one of four pitchers used.

Vanhorne continued to hit well in MAC play, going 2-for-5 with a run scored. He is batting .400 (10-for-25) through the first six conference tilts. Folli, who started the year batting .091 (2-for-22), is batting .391 (9-for-23) in conference play and has raised his average to .307 to tie for the team lead with Kingsley.

Canada led Miami with a 3-for-5 performance. Robinson, Brandon Hillier and Geoff Orr each had two hits.

Buffalo will try to rebound on Sunday in the final game of the three-game set, as senior Chris McGraw (Summerville, SC/Stratford/Coffeyville CC) (1-1, 4.71) will face Miami's John Ely (4-1, 1.96) in a 1:00 pm contest at McKie Field.