Bulls Downed By Canisius, 8-5

Rob Mancini and Charlie Karstedt each drove in two runs for UB

Rob Mancini

OLEAN, NY – The University at Buffalo baseball team fell to Canisius, 8-5, on Wednesday afternoon in the consolation game of the Big Four Classic, hosted by St. Bonaventure. Rob Mancini (Windsor, Ontario/St. Thomas) and Charlie Karstedt (Eden, NY/Eden) each drove in a pair of runs for the Bulls.

Buffalo took a lead in the first when Adam Skonieczki (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott), who had doubled to left center earlier in the inning, scored from second base on an infield single by Mancini and an error by the Canisius second baseman.

Canisius scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the first to take a 2-1 lead, but the Bulls came back with a run in the third and a run in the fifth to regain the lead, 3-2. Mancini drove in E.J. Folli (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott) with a double to right center in the third to tie the score. In the fifth, Kevin McCall (Chagrin Falls, OH/Notre Dame Cathedral) walked and advanced to third on Folli's second hit of the day. McCall then scored when Mancini collected his second run batted in of the contest on a fielder's choice.

The Golden Griffins answered with two runs in the fifth to go up 4-3. Branson Joseph and Kevin Mahoney each drove in a run during the frame. Canisius added another run in the sixth when Adam Donato singled through the left side to score Perry Silverman.

Charlie Karstedt

After a scoreless seventh, Buffalo scored a pair in the top of the eighth to tie the game, 5-5. Karstedt hit a two-RBI double to center, scoring Nick Walczak (Tonawanda, NY/Kenmore East) and Shivam Bhan (Caledon, Ontario/Mayfield) who had both walked earlier in the inning.

But Canisius again had an answer, scoring three in the bottom of the eighth to take the lead for good. Mahoney led off the inning with a double and scored on a single by Brian Burton. Following a sacrifice bunt and a walk, Alec Cabello hit a run-scoring double. Connor Burke drove in the third run of the inning on a sacrifice fly.

Folli, Mancini and Karstedt each had a pair of hits for the Bulls and McCall drew three walks on the day.

Chris Ciesla (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott) started on the mound for Buffalo and went six innings. Ciesla had only pitched four innings during the entire season prior to today. Chaz Mye (North Tonawanda, NY/St. Joseph's) pitched the final two innings and took the loss, which dropped the Bulls to 13-29 on the season.

Buffalo returns to the diamond this weekend when they travel to Kent State for a three-game Mid-American Conference series against the Golden Flashes. First pitch on Friday, May 2 is set for 3:00 p.m. while Saturday and Sunday's contests will each start at 1:00 p.m.

04/30/2008