NCAA Baseball - Buffalo Loses Series with Ball State 2-1

For the second straight weekend UB dropped a Mid American Conference series by a 2-1 mark. This weekend they fell to Ball State who won the bookend games while the Bulls smashed BSU in the second game of the series. Buffalo is now 2-4 in the MAC and are starting to dig a bit of a hole in their attempt to make the conference tournament for the fourth straight season.

Game 1 : BSU 6 - UB 4

The Bulls looked good in the early going of their opening game of the Saturday's doubleheader. Nick Sinay started the inning off getting hit by a pitch, his league-leading ninth of the season, and he then stole second base to get in scoring position for his teammates. Sinay also stole third and forced an error by the third baseman which allowed the UB leadoff man to score.

A few batters late scored Brian Ben Vey then stepped in and ripped a single to center field to score Ben Haefner and extend the Bulls lead to 2-0.

UB's pitching also played well early. Brent Cleland got through two innings without allowing a man on base. In the third however the Cardinals were able to beat on the UB starter for three hits and three runs.

Ball State would walk in the tying run in the next inning, one of four walks.

The teams would keep going back and fourth. BSU took the lead 4-3, then UB tied it 4-4, and finally in the sixth the Cards got the go ahead run and chased Cleland from the game for the Bulls.

After a scoreless seventh, Ball State was able to tack on an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth, making the score 6-4.

Game 2 : UB 14 - BSU 1

In the second game Buffalo handed Ball State their first loss of the season. Buffalo led the whole game but used a 10 run 9th inning to ice Ball State.

Once again it was UB scoring first. Scoring one run in the first and second then putting up two in the third.

Haefner drew a walk and then advanced to second on an error by the Cardinals catcher. After a sacrifice fly by Sheppard, Mallaro came to the plate and singled to right field to score Haefner and give the Bulls the 1-0 lead.

In the second inning Vey opened things up with a walk and moved over to third base after a Gonzalez double to right field. Vey came around to score on the very next at bat as Sinay singled to center field.

After scoring two runs with small ball the Bulls used a two run homer by Mallaro to set up a 4-0 lead.

All the While Anthony Magovney had no trouble keeping Ball State off the board. Through 5.2 innings he kept Ball State off the board.

Ben Hartz entered the game in the sixth and pitched well for the Bulls, allowing just one run in the eighth inning while striking out three batters. Mike Kaelin took to the mound in the eighth and shut the door once again for the Bulls, pitching the final two innings, allowing no hits, striking out three batters and earning his third save of the season.

Game 3 : Ball State 16 - Buffalo 8

The Bulls offense racked up eight runs for the third time in the last four games. But the pitching staff gave up 16 runs to the Cardinals and as a result UB heads back from Indiana with a 2-4 conference record.

In the second inning BSU hung eight runs on McGee and the never looked back. McGee was replaced by Alec Tuohy before the second inning was over.

After the Bulls offense responded with a pair of runs in the third inning to make the score 8-2 Ball State responded in the third with a run of their own and then over the next three innings the Cardinals outscored the Bulls 6-0 to put UB over a barrell at 15-2.

Buffalo would six feel good runs in the seventh but were held off the board in the late innings.

UB will return to the diamond on Tuesday as they will play a doubleheader against Big Four foe St. Bonaventure in Olean, NY. Game one will begin at 2:00 pm followed by the second game.