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CONWAY, SC - The University at Buffalo baseball team split a non-conference day-night doubleheader on Thursday against Coastal Carolina, the 2002 Big South Conference regular season champions. UB rallied to take the opener 10-8 with three runs in the eighth inning, but fell in the nightcap, 7-3. The Bulls now stand at 16-26 overall while the Chanticleers improve to 37-17.

Bryan Sanchez

In the opener, third baseman Bryan Sanchez (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua Academy) went 3-for-5 with four RBIs in the opener, just missing hitting for the cycle. The junior had a single, double and hit his first triple of the season in the game.

UB scored six runs in the seventh and eighth innings to rally for the victory. Trailing 7-4 in the seventh, the Bulls plated three to tie the contest as Sanchez's triple to left center brought home Brandon DiCesare (Rochester, NY/McQuaid Jesuit) and Adrian Daniels (Spencerport, NY/Spencerport). Sanchez scored the tying run when Eric Huber (Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park) reached on Coastal Carolina first baseman Justin Owens' fielding error.

The Bulls took the lead in the eighth as Daniels knocked in Tim Sova (Rochester, NY/Greece-Athena) with the go-ahead run. Sanchez later brought home Daniels and Joe Mihalics (Tonawanda, NY/Timon/St. Jude) with a bases-loaded single for the 10-7 advantage.

John Sullivan

John Sullivan (Buffalo, NY/Timon/St. Jude) picked up the victory to improve to 3-3 as he pitched six innings of relief allowing just three hits and a ninth-inning run.

In game two, UB jumped in front 2-0 in the second inning as Corey Blair (Oneida, NY/Oneida) knocked in Sanchez with an infield hit. Huber later scored the second run when John Boom (London, Ontario/Catholic Central) hit into a double play.

The Bulls later went ahead, 3-1, in the fifth as Phil Vanhorne (Scarborough, Ontario/Mother Teresa) singled and stole his team-best 14th base of the season, moving to third on a throwing error by catcher Randy McGarvey Jr. Daniels' basehit through the left side of the infield brought Vanhorne home.

However, the Chanticleers took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the fifth as Chad Felty his a two-run homer and Jeff Baker brought home Owens with a single against starter Mark Garrard (Port Hope, Ontario/Port Hope) (2-3).

Coastal Carolina added a run in the seventh and two in the eighth for the 7-3 final score.

Sanchez was 2-for-2 with a pair of walks and a run scored in the nightcap to finish a 5-for-7 day at the plate. Daniels, Huber and Blair each added two hits in the second game.

UB faces the Chanticleers for a single game on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. and again Sunday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. The Bulls meet Charleston Southern on Saturday for a 2:00 p.m. contest.