Joe Mihalics

BUFFALO, NY - After the most lopsided loss of the year on Sunday, a 25-12 loss to Kent State, the University at Buffalo baseball team responded in kind to Canisius during a doubleheader sweep of the Big 4 rival on Wednesday at Amherst Audubon Field, as Buffalo racked up 26 hits in 13-1 and 8-4 wins.

Senior shortstop Joe Mihalics (Tonawanda, NY/Timon-St.Jude) wasted little time smashing the career record for runs, which he tied against Kent State on Sunday, as he drew a walk in the first inning and scored two plays later on a double to pass Gene Dudek's mark of 127 runs set from 1979-82. Mihalics also added another run, two doubles and two RBIs in Buffalo's 13-1 rout of Canisius in the first game before adding two more hits in the second game.

The Bulls wasted little time getting to the Golden Griffins in the first game. The Bulls loaded the bases to start the game after a hit batter and two walks and junior first baseman James Kingsley (Medina, NY/Medina) delivered a frozen rope to right field to score two runs. Sophomore catcher Dan Quinn (Hamburg, NY/Frontier) followed with a double down the left field line to score Mihalics and Kingsley from first base and junior designated hitter David Amaro (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott) followed with an RBI double off the right field line to take a 5-0 lead. However, the Griffs got out of the inning without further damage.

Canisius answered back in the top of the second inning when the first three batters singled and a sacrifice fly scored a run. However, freshman third baseman Mike Folli (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott) cut a runner down at the plate to stop the bleeding in the frame.

In the fifth inning, Canisius' Kevin Smith led off with a single, but the next batter hit a flyball to senior center fielder Phil Vanhorne (Scarborough, Ontario/Mother Teresa) on a hit-and-run. Vanhorne threw a 200-foot dart to pick off Smith on first base. The play was followed by an infield error and two infield hits, but junior Sean McWilliams (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua) got out of the jam by inducing another flyout to center.

James Kingsley

In the bottom of the frame, Bufalo dented the scoreboard again, as Mihalics led off with a double down the right field line. Kingsley followed with his 10th homer of the season over the left field fence. With the homer, Kingsley passed Mihalics for fifth place with his 90th career RBI.

In the sixth, Mihalics answered Kingsley by offering up a one-out two-RBI double to right center that scored Folli and Vanhorne, who had each singled, to give Mihalics' 91 career RBIs. After Kingsley walked, Quinn sent a liner over the left field fence for his sixth of the year and Amaro also followed with another shot over the left field fence to give Buffalo a 13-1 lead.

Andrew Wengert

Buffalo was led by Amaro, who went 3-for-4 with a double and a homer. Folli, Kingsley, Quinn and senior Andrew Wengert (Utica, NY/Proctor) also each had two hits for the Bulls in the 14-hit extravaganza.

McWilliams (1-2) pitched five innings, allowing eight hits and two walks, but only one run as he stranded eight runners thanks to four strikeouts. Senior Anthony Marchioli (Buffalo, NY/West Seneca West) pitched the final two frames, striking out four and

walking three.

Jordan Neufeld (0-6) got the loss for Canisius, allowing five runs in the first frame.

Buffalo scored in the first five innings of the second game, including a three-run third inning to cruise to an 8-4 win in the nightcap.

Buffalo scored in its half of the first as Vanhorne walked to with one out and Mihalics got him to third on a single to right field. Kingsley scored him with a flyout to short right field that the second baseman corralled.

E.J. Folli

The Bulls scratched across another run in the second inning when freshman designated hitter E.J. Folli (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott), Mike's twin brother, doubled with one out and scored on a single to right from Wengert.

Three more runs crossed the plate in the third inning, as Vanhorne led off with a single. After Mihalics reached on a fielder's choice, Kingsley singled to put runners at first and second. After a popout, Amaro hit a hard shot that a diving third baseman couldn't stop the ball from reaching the outfield, allowing Mihalics to score. E.J. Folli followed with a triple over the center fielder's outstretched glove to plate two runs.

Canisius scored in the top of the fourth off junior Matt Johnson (Montague, MI/Montague), as B.J. Stack hit a double down the line, took third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly. Buffalo answered back when Mike Folli reached on a push bunt to lead off the fourth inning and scored on a double down the left field line by Vanhorne to make, 6-1. After Kingsley reached on an hard hit liner that the shortstop dropped and Quinn walked to load the bases, Amaro scored Vanhorne with a sac fly.

Buffalo took a seven-run lead in the sixth inning when Wengert singled to lead off. After two fly outs, Vanhorne singled and Mihalics also followed with a single to score Wengert.

Canisius came back with three runs in the top of the seventh, as Josh Matlow led off with a single and Gabe Baida, Rich Ruscio and R.J. Crawford hit consecutive doubles to score three times.

Vanhorne led the Bulls with a 3-for-3 performance, scoring twice and adding an RBI. Mihalics, E.J. Folli and Wengert each had two hits in the game. Baida had two hits for the Griffs.

Johnson (3-4) pitched five innings, allowing four hits and one run, as he struck out three to earn the win before freshman Tony Kurtz (Newfane, NY/Newfane) allowed five hits, two walks and three runs in the final two innings.

Adam Garrett (2-3) took the loss for the Griffs, allowing five runs in 2 2/3 innings.

Buffalo hits the road for the last time in 2005 as it travels for a Mid-American Conference cross-division series with the West Division's Toledo, which starts Friday at 3:00 pm.