Tony Kurtz

BUFFALO, NY - Freshman righthander Tony Kurtz (Newfane, NY/Newfane) pitched eight strong innings in his first collegiate start, allowing two earned runs, five hits, two walks and he struck out six to lift the University at Buffalo to a 10-3 win over Niagara in the consolation round of the Big 4 Tournament at Dunn Tire Park on Wednesday afternoon.

The Bulls (12-21-1 overall) led the whole way, as they loaded the bases to lead off the second inning, as junior designated hitter Aaron Otto (Lockport, NY/Newfane) walked, sophomore second baseman Al Barbato (Utica, NY/Whitesboro) doubled to right center and senior right fielder Andy Wengert (Utica, NY/Proctor) was hit by a pitch. Junior left fielderTony Tasner (North Tonawanda, NY/North Tonawanda) delivered a looping single over the second baseman's head to plate a run. A double play and fly out took the Bulls out of the inning without scoring another run.

In the third inning, Niagara's Chris Cerchie succumbed to control problems, hitting two batters which led to a single by sophomore catcher Dan Quinn (Hamburg, NY/Frontier) to plate junior first baseman James Kingsley (Medina, NY/Medina). Two errors and a crazy play in which a wild pitch with the bases loaded ended in a rundown that allowed Quinn to score when Barbato outran the rundown. A throwing error from the shortstop let Quinn score.

Niagara (13-22 overall) broke onto the scoreboard in the top of the fourth inning when Andrew MacNevin doubled down the left field line to lead off. After a flyout, Jeff Vincent stroked a liner into right center for a single.

Buffalo answered in the fourth inning when senior center fielder Phil Vanhorne (Scarborough, Ontario/Mother Teresa) singled with one out and senior shortstop Joe Mihalics (Tonawanda, NY/Timon-St. Jude) singled and an error helped them move up a base each. With two outs, Quinn plated both runners with a single up the middle.

The Purple Eagles took advantage of two Bulls errors in the seventh inning to plate another run off Kurtz, but the righthander settled down to strike out Niagara's Dan Parsons to end the threat.

The Bulls scored again in the bottom of the seventh off reliever Justin Quance to make it 9-2, as Quinn and Barbato walked and Wengert drove in Quinn with an RBI single with one out. Another walk loaded the bases with one out before Jim Boyack took the hill for Niagara. Freshman second baseman Mike Folli (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott) delivered a base hit to left to score another run. After a groundout, Mihalics and Kingsley each had infield singles to score another run.

MacNevin doubled to left center in the eighth inning off Kurtz. After a wild pitch, a sacrifice fly brought him in to make it 9-3. Barbato answered the Eagles in the bottom of the frame, blasting a one-out triple down the right field line and scoring on a groundout.

Kurtz (4-2) started strong for UB throwing no-hit ball through three innings, striking out Jeff Vincent on a nasty cutter in the second inning that actually hit the batter after he swung. Junior Sean McWilliams (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua) closed the game out by striking out the side in the bottom of the ninth. McWilliams has not given up a run in his last seven relief outings.

Folli extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a first inning single that was lined past a diving second baseman. He finished 2-for-5. Barbato, who had a triple and a double, Quinn and Mihalics also had two hits each for the Bulls and Wengert added three to the 14-hit attack.

Chris Cerchie took the loss for the Purple Eagles, going three innings and allowing three runs.

Buffalo returns to Amherst Audubon Field on Friday to open a Mid-American Conference series with Kent State at 3:00 pm.