Bulls Fall in Series Finale at Kent State, 8-4

Randazzo, Rosenbeck and Karstedt each have a pair of hits for Buffalo

Jacob Rosenbeck

KENT, OH – The University at Buffalo baseball team fell in the final game of their three-game series at Kent State, 8-4, on Sunday afternoon. Brian Randazzo (St. Charles, MO/St. Charles), Jacob Rosenbeck (Medina, NY/Medina) and Charlie Karstedt (Eden, NY/Eden) each had a pair of hits for the Bulls.

Two hit batters and a single by Adam Skonieczki (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott) loaded the bases for Buffalo after the first three men went to the plate in the first inning. Chris Ciesla (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott) then gave the Bulls a 1-0 lead with a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Randazzo. But a strike out and a fly out ended the UB threat with just a single run.

Kent State came back and tied the game in the bottom of the first. Doug Sanders doubled down the left field line with one out and scored on a single by Anthony Gallas. The Golden Flashes then loaded the bases in the inning, but Jeffrey Hains (Mexico, NY/Mexico) worked out of trouble, allowing just the one run.

After the first two runners reached for Kent State in the bottom of the second, Sanders hit a bases clearing triple to the wall in left center, giving the Flashes a 3-1 lead. Their lead increased to 4-1 when Sanders scored on a wild pitch.

The Kent State lead grew to 7-1 in the fourth as the Golden Flashes scored three runs on four hits. Greg Rohan hit a two RBI double in the inning and Ryan Mitchell also hit a double that scored a run.

Charlie Karstedt

Bulls got a pair of runs back in the fifth. Karstedt doubled to open the inning, Rick Oliveri (Tonawanda, NY/Canisius) followed with a double, advancing Karstedt to third. Randazzo then singled home the first run of the frame for UB. Skonieczki drove in the second run on a fielder’s choice.

Kent State increased their lead to 8-3 on a solo home run by Greg Rohan in the bottom of the seventh.

Bobby Pizzuto (Mentor, OH/Notre Dame Cathedral) came on to pinch hit for the Bulls in the eighth and doubled to the gap in left center, scoring Rosenbeck.

The Bulls now stand at 13-32 overall, 6-14 in the Mid-American Conference.

Buffalo will return to action next weekend when they travel to Bowling Green for their final road series in MAC play. Game one of the series between the Bulls and the Falcons is set for Friday, May 9 at 3:00 p.m.

05/04/2008