Bulls Rally Comes Up Just Short Against Miami

Nick Walczak hit his team-high fifth home run and had 4 RBI for UB

Nick Walczak

BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo baseball team came up just short in their attempt to sweep their weekend series against Miami (Ohio). The Bulls fell in Sunday's series finale, 10-8. Nick Walczak (Tonawanda, NY/Kenmore East) was 2-for-3 at the plate for UB with a home run and four runs batted in and Adam Skonieczki (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott) went 3-for-5 with three RBI.

A pair of doubles in the second inning by Miami gave the RedHawks an early 1-0 lead. Tommy Nurre opened the inning with a double to left and scored on a double to center field by J.D. Mynhier. The RBI would be the first of four for Mynhier on the day.

Rick Oliveri

The Bulls responded by tying the game 1-1 in the home half of the second inning. With two outs, Walczak drew a walk and advanced to third on a single down the right field line by Kevin McCall (Chagrin Falls, OH/Notre Dame Cathedral). Rick Oliveri (Tonawanda, NY/Canisius) then collected his fifth RBI of the weekend with a single through the right side, scoring Walczak.

The RedHawks regained the lead by scoring in each of the next three innings. After scoring single runs in the third and fourth, Miami scored three in the top of the fifth. Three singles and a double did the damage for Miami in the fifth as they took a 6-1 lead.

Buffalo answered Miami's three-run fifth with a three-run fifth of their own. Bobby Pizzuto (Mentor, OH/Notre Dame Cathedral) and Brian Randazzo (St. Charles, MO/St. Charles) drew back-to-back walks to begin the inning. Pizzuto then scored on a single up the middle by Skonieczki. A fielder's choice and a strikeout were sandwiched around a single by Chris Ciesla (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott), bringing Walczak to the plate with two outs. Walczak came through with a two RBI single for the Bulls to cut the Miami advantage to 6-4.

Adam Skonieczki

Buffalo trimmed the Miami lead to 6-5 in the sixth. Oliveri led off with a walk and advanced to third on a pair of groundouts. Skonieczki then delivered a two-out RBI for the Bulls to cut the Miami lead to just two.

But the RedHawk advantage climbed back to five with a four-run seventh inning. Nurre reached base on an error by the Bulls to open the frame and from there Miami took full advantage. The RedHawks collected four hits in the inning and just one of the four runs scored was earned.

Buffalo continued to battle back, scoring in both the eighth and ninth innings. Pizzuto got a one-out single in the eighth and scored on another two-out base hit by Skonieczki, cutting the Miami lead to 10-6. Shivam Bhan (Caledon, Ontario/Mayfield) doubled to begin the ninth and Walczak followed with his fifth home run of the season to bring UB to within two, 10-8. But that is as close as they would come as Miami pitcher Samuel Dawes then got two strikeouts and a groundout to end the game.

With the loss, Buffalo falls to 10-24 on the season, 4-10 in the Mid-American Conference.

The Bulls will return to action at Amherst Audubon Field on Tuesday, April 22 when they host St. Bonaventure in a non-conference doubleheader. First pitch of game one between the Bulls and the Bonnies is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.

04/20/2008