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James Kingsley

BUFFALO, NY - Ryan Peel's line drive off the right fielder's glove in the top of the fifth inning that rolled to the wall and scored two runs led Central Michigan to a 6-4 come-from-behind win over the University at Buffalo baseball team in Mid-American Conference play on a sunny Saturday afternoon at Amherst Audubon Field.

The loss spoiled junior first baseman James Kingsley's (Medina, NY/Medina) 2-for-4 day in which he set the school record for RBIs in a season. He launched a two-out double in the first inning to score a single run for his 47^th RBI of the year, surpassing Bryan Sanchez's mark set in 2001.

Down 2-0, the Chippewas (34-15 overall, 14-6 MAC) broke through in the fifth inning when David Latour, Jr. singled to lead off and Jeremy Crum walked before a sacrifice moved them into scoring position. Ryan Peel then launched a liner to right center field that hit the right fielder's glove and rolled to the wall. Peel reached third on the play as both runners scored and scored on the next play to give the Chippewas a 3-2 lead.

Buffalo (15-29-1 overall, 2-13-1 MAC) had a chance to get even in the bottom of the sixth inning when Kingsley reached on a high pop to the infield that no one could reach and sophomore catcher Dan Quinn (Hamburg, NY/Frontier) laid down a perfect drag bunt. A sacrifice bunt moved them to scoring position, but Josh Collmenter reached back to get a strikeout. Senior right fielder Andy Wengert (Utica, NY/Proctor) roped a liner right at the shortstop to end the threat.

Phil Vanhorne

The Bulls struck first blood in the bottom of the first inning as senior center fielder Phil Vanhorne (Scarborough, Ontario/Mother Teresa) singled through the left side of the infield with one out. He took second on a groundout and scored on Kingsley's rocket off the left-center field wall.

In the third inning, Buffalo scratched the board again, as freshman second baseman Mike Folli (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott) singled through the right side before Vanhorne pushed a ball the opposite way for a single. A flyout advanced Folli to third before UB stole a page from Central Michigan's book, executing a double steal that saw Vanhorne take second and Folli score without a throw.

Central Michigan scratched a run across in the seventh, as Jeremy Crum walked, took second on a sacrifice bunt, third on a flyout and scored on a close play at the plate after a wild pitch. Another run came across in the eighth as a leadoff walk was followed by an RBI double down the left field line by David Latour. Latour scored on a suicide squeeze from Derek Schaller.

The Bulls closed the gap to two runs in the ninth inning as sophomore third baseman Mike Connelly (Utica, NY/Proctor) singled with two outs and Folli lifted his third homer of the year over the right field fence.

Chris McGraw

Senior Chris McGraw (Summerville, SC/Stratford/Coffeyville CC) (1-5) started strong for Buffalo, allowing only a walk through the first three innings. In the fourth, a walk, a single and a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third with one out, but McGraw got out of it with a strikeout and a grounder to short.

McGraw pitched eight innings, allowing just three hits, four walks and two earned runs in the hard-luck loss. He struck out five.

After a two-out base hit in the eighth inning by Quinn, Collmenter was lifted in favor of Mark Lundquist, who got a strikeout to end the inning. Collmenter (7-1) went 7 2/3 innings, scattering 10 hits and allowing two runs. He walked none and struck out five.

Lundquist earned his second save in 1 1/3 innings of work. He struck out two and gave up two runs.

Vanhorne led the Bulls, going 3-for-5 with a run scored for Buffalo. Folli went 2-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs and Connelly went 2-for-4 with a run.

Latour was the lone Chippewa with two hits, going 2-for-4 with two runs, two stolen bases and an RBI as the Chippewas managed just five hits in the game.

Buffalo and Central Michigan return to Amherst Audubon Field on Sunday for the final game of the three-game set at 1:00 pm.