Bulls Unable to Complete Sweep of #23 Kent State

Bulls and Golden Flashes each collect 14 hits; Bulls' pitchers strikeout 13

BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo baseball team was unable to complete their first sweep of a Mid-American Conference opponent since 2005 as they fell to #23 Kent State, 16-8 in the series finale on Sunday, May 3 at the Amherst Audubon Field.

Charlie Karstedt

After two and a half scoreless innings, the Bulls erupted for three runs to take the lead in the bottom of the third while facing two outs. Charlie Karstedt poked a two-RBI single through the right side to put the Bulls on the board 2-0. Next up, Chris Ciesla ripped an RBI double off the right-center wall to drive in Karstedt for the Bulls’ 3-0 lead.

Facing one out in the bottom of the fourth, River McWilliams crushed the ball to deep right center for his first career home run, cutting the Golden Flashes’ lead down to 6-4. The Bulls managed to score three additional runs in the inning to take the lead from Kent State, 7-6. The Bulls’ go-ahead run came off a wild pitch by KSU’s David Starn with the bases loaded as Adam Skonieczki sped home from third to cross the plate.

River McWilliams

In the top of the fifth, the Golden Flashes tied the game at 7-7 off a solo shot to left-center by Anthony Gallas.

The Bulls recaptured the lead in the bottom half of the inning as McWilliams raced home from third off KSU’s third wild pitch of the game, this time by reliever Jon Pokorny to take a 8-7 lead.

In the remaining four innings, the Golden Flashes scored nine-unanswered runs to capture their first win of the conference weekend series. With one swing of the bat, the Golden Flashes took the lead for good off a two-RBI home run by Jared Humphreys to left center, putting Kent State in the lead 9-8.

Adam Skonieczki

Skonieczki went 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored. Bobby Pizzuto went 2-for-3 with a pair of base hits and runs scored. Karstedt went 2-for-5, recording a team-high three RBIs.

Ciesla (1-5) recorded the loss for the Bulls in1.0 innings of work. Starter Dan Francis recorded a season-high six strikeouts in 3.2 innings.

The Bulls (19-27, 6-14 MAC) will take on St. Bonaventure in a mid-week doubleheader on Tuesday, May 5 with the first pitch set for 3:00 pm. This will mark the fourth and fifth time the Bulls and Bonnies will meet this season with the Bulls leading the series 2-1. The contest will be televised by Time Warner Sports on TWCS-Buffalo Channel 13 in the Western New York area. A listing of times and dates of the airing will be released at a later date.