James Kingsley

BUFFALO, NY - For the second straight year, Kent State's offense fired on all cylinders when it came time for their MAC East series with the University at Buffalo baseball team, as Kent swept Buffalo for the second year in a row, beating Buffalo 7-3 in the first game of a doubleheader and 25-12 in the second game at Amherst Audubon Field on Sunday.

Freshman third baseman Mike Folli (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott) extended his hitting streak to 18 games with a first-inning bunt single in the first game and a first-inning double to right in the second game. He finished the twinbill 3-for-7 with four runs.

Junior first baseman James Kingsley (Medina, NY/Medina) went 3-for-4 with two runs in the first game before launching his ninth homer of the year, a three-run shot in the second game for the Bulls (12-24-1 overall, 1-9-1 MAC). He finished 4-for-8 with four RBIs in the two games.

Kent State (26-14 overall, 7-6 MAC) sent the first eight batters to the plate in the first inning without getting an out, as it scored nine runs in the frame chasing Bulls' sophomore Matt Francavillo (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott) (0-6) from the mound.

The Golden Flashes kept the pressure on in the third inning, scoring six more times as the rally was started by a solo shot over the right field fence by Andy Hargrove, taking a 15-0 lead.

The Bulls finally dented the scoreboard in the bottom of the third, as Folli led off with a walk followed by a single to left by senior center fielder Phil Vanhorne (Scarborough, Ontario/Mother Teresa). Senior shortstop Joe Mihalics (Tonawanda, NY/Timon-St. Jude) tripled to right-center field to score two runs. After two outs were recorded, junior left fielder David Amaro (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott), senior right fielder Andrew Wengert (Utica, NY/Proctor) and sophomore second baseman Al Barbato (Utica, NY/Whitesboro) hit back-to-back-to-back singles to score two more runs.

Buffalo scored three more in the fourth inning, as Folli and Mihalics walked before Kingsley launched a pitch over the left field fence to make it 15-7. A two-out double by Amaro chased Golden Flashes starter Chris Carpenter from the mound not qualified for the win.

However, the Flashes posted eight more runs in the fifth inning capped by a three-run shot to dead center field by Drew Saylor to take a 23-7 lead.

Freshman designated hitter E.J. Folli (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott) got the first hit of his career with a single through the infield in the fifth inning.

In the seventh inning, junior left fielder Tony Tasner (North Tonawanda,

NY/North Tonawanda) reached on an error by the pitcher before four consecutive walks helped push two runs across, as freshman Leo Dandes (Amherst, NY/Nichols) and Mike Folli each drove in runners by drawing in free passes. Buffalo added another run in the eighth innng to answer a single tally from the Flashes, as freshman catcher Rick Oliveri (Tonawanda, NY/Canisius) and Tasner singled to left center. Wengert walked to load the bases and Oliveri scored on a fielder's choice by Barbato.

Amaro and Wengert each went 2-for-3 in the second game to pace Buffalo's 14-hit attack.

Andy Hargrove led Kent State with a 4-for-7 game, scoring twice and driving in three as doubled twice and homered in the win. Emmanuel Burris went 3-for-5 with four runs, Joe Tucker went 3-for-5 with three runs and three RBIs, Eric Holick went 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs and Todd Balduf went 3-for-3 with two runs and four RBIs for the Flashes. Saylor and Kurt Eichorn also had two of Kent's 27 hits.

Jon Miller (4-0) picked up the win for Kent State, pitching 2 1/3 innings, allowing one earned run, a hit and a walk. He struck out one.

In the first game, a first inning homer over the 380-foot sign in right-center field by Andrew Davis and a second-inning two-run shot by Holick down the right field line propelled Kent State to a 7-3 win.

Mike Folli

Buffalo tied the game at one in the bottom of the first as Folli laid down a perfect push bunt down the third-baseline. After Vanhorne reached on a fielder's choice, Mihalics stroked a single to left field and Kingsley hit a smash through the third base side to score Vanhorne.

However, a leadoff double by Chuck Moore and a two-out bomb by Holick gave Kent State the lead for good in the top of the second. It added two more runs in the third as Hargrove laced a two-out double over the right fielder's head to score the runners on second and third.

After two more single tallies in the sixth and seventh gave the Flashes a 7-1 lead, Kingsley led off the bottom of the seventh with a double to right center field. He took third on a groundout and scored on a flyout by Amaro.

Buffalo also put three runners on in the ninth with no outs, as Kent State starter Evan Smith showed signs of fatigue, giving up a one-out single to Kingsley before hitting sophomore catcher Dan Quinn (Hamburg, NY/Frontier) and Amaro. Chad Wagler entered the game for Kent State and allowed a deep flyout to right field by Wengert scored the final run before Wagler got a strikeout to end the game.

Kingsley went 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI to pace the Buffalo offense and Folli went 2-for-4.

The bottom three hitters in Kent State's lineup went 4-for-11 with three runs and five RBIs in the game as Moore had two hits, Hargrove had two RBIs and Holick had two runs and two RBIs. Burris, Davis and Saylor each had two hits and Eichorn had three at the top of the lineup for the Golden Flashes.

Smith (4-3) pitched 8 1/3 innings, allowing seven hits and three earned runs, as he struck out seven. Sophomore Adam Ruszkowski (Utica, NY/Proctor) (4-3) went three innings, allowing five runs and nine hits to take the loss.

Buffalo will look to rebound as it hosts Big 4 rival Canisius in a non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday at 3:00 pm.