Sean McWilliams

BUFFALO, NY - A game this good deserves a fitting conclusion. Unfortunately for the University at Buffalo baseball team and Ohio, there might never be one, thanks to the steady rain that wiped out an epic 8-8 game in the bottom of the 13th inning at Amherst Audubon Field on Friday afternoon.

The two teams will try to pick up the game with no outs and no runners on in the Bulls' half of the 13th inning at 12:00 pm on Saturday at the Audubon, but a forecast that is predicting a 90 percent chance of rain may throw a wrench into the planned conclusion of the game along with the planned doubleheader after it.

The battle featured two ties and two lead changes through the first nine innings before Ohio reliever Dan O'Rourke and Buffalo junior righthander Sean McWilliams (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua) combined to throw zeroes on the scoreboard from the 10th inning on.

McWilliams allowed just one 12th inning hit in 4 2/3 innings work. He consistently worked out of trouble, walking two batters and hitting another two, leaving five runners stranded, including three in the top of the tenth.

Joe Mihalics

O'Rourke came into the game in the eighth inning and was set to earn the win after two ninth-inning runs from the Bobcats gave them an 8-7 lead. However, freshman second baseman Mike Folli (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott) singled to right field with one out. After a fielder's choice allowed senior center fielder Phil Vanhorne (Scarborough, Ontario/Mother Teresa) to reach, senior shortstop Joe Mihalics (Tonawanda, NY/Timon-St. Jude) blasted a pitch to the left-center field gap for a game-tying triple.

After that, even though O'Rourke allowed five hits and two walks in his 4 1/3 innings, he did not allow another run.

Ohio (17-14 overall) took the lead in the second inning when Ben Crabtree led off the inning with a walk, took second on a sacrifice, third on a wild pitch and scored on an error. It scratched another run across in the third inning when Anthony Gressick was hit by a pitch with two outs and Crabtree followed with double to deep right field.

Buffalo (11-20 overall) answered back in the bottom of the third, tying the game when Folli doubled to right center with two outs. Vanhorne followed with a seeing eye single through the 6.5 hole and when the left fielder bobbled the ball, Folli scored and Vanhorne took second. Mihalics followed with a shot off the second baseman's chest that allowed Vanhorne to score after the center fielder rounded third without stopping on the play.

Crabtree once again proved the catalyst for the Bobcats in the sixth inning, doubling down the left field line with one out. Brian Colopy followed with a single and Willie Walker also singled to score Crabtree. Phil Sabatini doubled to right center to give the Bobcats a 4-2 lead, chasing Buffalo junior Matt Johnson (Montague, MI/Montague/Grand Rapids CC) from the mound after six innings of work. Johnson gave up six hits, four walks and three earned runs while striking out three.

Colopy helped Ohio take a 6-2 lead in the eighth, starting the inning by bunting and taking second on an errant throw by the pitcher. After a groundout moved him to third, Sabatini tripled to right center field. Jon Vondrell laid down a perfect safety squeeze bunt to score Sabatini.

James Kingsley

After two quick outs in the eighth inning, Buffalo's offense finally came to life against Ohio ace Derek Witt. Folli walked and Vanhorne reached on a controversial play at first base in which the first baseman was charged with leaving the bag early on the slow grounder to the shortstop, keeping the inning alive. Mihalics followed with a base hit up the middle to plate Folli, sending cleanup hitter junior James Kingsley (Medina, NY/Medina) to the plate. Kingsley responded to the pressure by launching a pitch over the left field wall for his eighth homer of the year and 16th of his career, tying the game at six.

Sophomore catcher Dan Quinn (Hamburg, NY/Frontier) singled to right field and junior designated hitter David Amaro (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott) followed with another single to put men on first and second and chase Witt from the mound after 7 2/3 innings. He allowed eight hits, two walks and five earned runs. He struck out five.

Mike Connelly

Sophomore third baseman Mike Connelly (Utica, NY/Proctor) delivered a single inside the right field line on a 3-2 pitch to score Quinn and give the Bulls a 7-6 lead.

The lead didn't last, though, as Dusty Hammond hit a one-out double to left center in the top of the ninth inning. After Gressick walked, Crabtree singled to tie the game, moving Gressick to third. Colopy then hit a soft looper to second base, which Folli dove and got a glove on, but the ball trickled out to give the Bobcats an 8-7 lead, setting up Mihalics' heroics in the bottom of the inning After the single, sophomore Adam Ruszkowski (Utica, NY/Proctor) was replaced on the hill by McWilliams after 2 1/3 innings of relief in which he allowed five hits, three walks and four runs.

Buffalo's 12-hit attack was paced by Folli's 3-for-4, two-run performance. Vanhorne, Mihalics, and Connelly also each added two hits for the Bulls.

Crabtree went 4-for-6 with two runs and two RBIs for the Bobcats, who pounded out 13 hits on the rainy field. Colopy went 3-for-6 with two runs and an RBI and Sabatini went 2-for-5 with two RBIs and a run.