Ball State
Bulls Capture First Ever Victory over Ball State, 11-7
4/18/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
MUNCIE, IN - The University at Buffalo baseball team prevented a sweep by Ball State on Sunday afternoon at Ball Diamond Stadium in the conference weekend series finale, defeating the Cardinals, 11-7 in 11 innings. The victory marked the Bulls' first ever victory over the Cardinals.
Trailing 4-1 through five complete innings, the Bulls managed to pull within a run in the top of the sixth, 4-3. Senior second baseman Brad Agustin drove in a pair of runs with one swing of the bat off a two-run shot deep right, driving in senior left fielder Bobby Pizzuto.
In the top of the eighth, Buffalo captured the lead, 5-4, with another pair of runs. UB scored its first run off a sacrifice bunt by junior David Neff, who was able to reach base, tying the contest at 4-4. A few batters later, senior catcher Brad Cochrane drove in Neff with an RBI single through the right side giving the Bulls a 5-4 lead.
Despite the Cardinals tying the contest back up at 5-5, the Bulls added its third pair of runs in the top of the ninth to recapture the lead, 7-5. The pair of runs would come off RBI base hits by Neff and Agustin.
For the third time, the game was tied as the Cardinals scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the ninth off a two-RBI home run by Zach Dygert.
After a scoreless tenth inning, Buffalo recaptured the lead for the third time in the top of the 11th. Agustin drove in his fourth and fifth RBI of the day with a base hit through the left side to take a 9-7 lead. Next up, Pizzuto crushed a shot to right field, extending the Bulls lead to 11-7.
In the bottom of the 11th, the Cardinals came away empty with only one hit in their final attempt.
For the second straight day, Buffalo outhit Ball State, 23-15. Agustin went an impressive 5-for-6, tying the all-time single game record for most hits, including a game-high five RBIs and a pair of runs.
Neff and senior center fielder Adam Skonieczki each collected three hits on the day. Skonieczki's double to left center in the top of the 10th, marked his 200th career hit.
Reliever Brian Pullyblank (2-3) bounced back from yesterday's loss to Ball State, collecting the victory in 3.0 innings of work with a strikeout.
The Bulls (16-17, 4-8 MAC) will have a five-game homestand at Amherst Audubon Field, beginning on Tuesday, April 20 versus Big Four rival Canisius at 4:00 pm.
