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It’s not optimal to lose your first conference series of the season but going 1-2 against Kent, the most stable and dominant team in the MAC, is not a terrible way to open up conference play.
Baseball Drops Conference Opener On The Road At Kent State, 9-1
Buffalo got out to a 1-0 lead in game one. Brian Dudek earned a walk to reach base safely and Vinny Mallaro hit a double to left center field which brought Dudek home.
Kent then scored 2 runs in the second and third innings, a run in the 6th, and four runs in the eighth to secure the 9-1 win.
Baseball Splits Sunday Doubleheader At Kent State
Charlie Sobieraski pitched a fantastic seven innings in the second game of the series. Giving up just three hits and a single earned run. He struck out seven and walked only two.
On top of his effort the Bulls’ batters Tagged Kent’s Zach Willeman for five runs off seven hits before he was yanked in the 6th inning.
It was an offensive explosion in the sixth that chased Willeman form the game and ballooned UB’s lead from 2-1 to 8-1.
Kent got revenge in the bumper game. Shawn Dubin got the start and gave up eight runs before being pulled with two out in the first inning. On the other side Kent had four pitchers put together a four hit shutout to win the game (14-0) and the series (2-1).
With a road trip against the MAC facorite done UB has their first four home games of the season lined for this week. On Wednesday UB will face Canisius and then NIU comes to town next weekend. NIU is 4-2 in conferece play after sweeping Toledo and droping a 2-1 series to Bowling Green.