Miami (OH)
Bulls Complete Sweep of Miami on Senior Day
5/16/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo baseball team completed its first series sweep of a conference opponent since the 2005 season, defeating Miami (OH), 5-1, on Sunday afternoon at Amherst Audubon Field in the conference series finale. In the Senior Day victory, Buffalo captured an early lead in the bottom of the second off a three-RBI double by senior first baseman Rob Lawler and relied on strong pitching from junior starter Josh Edwards, who captured his first career victory.
The day celebrated the careers of 11 seniors including second baseman Brad Agustin, designated hitter Brad Cochrane, pitcherJeffrey Hains, right fielder Charlie Karstedt, Lawler, pitcher Pierre Miville-Deschenes, pitcher Chaz Mye, left fielder Bobby Pizzuto, pitcher Brian Pullyblank, shortstop Jacob Rosenbeck and center fielderAdam Skonieczki.
In the bottom of the second, Buffalo scored the first run of the contest for the third consecutive game after a pair of three up, three down innings by the RedHawks. Freshman Alex Baldock and Karstedt dropped back-to-back first-pitch singles into left center to start the Buffalo off. The bases quickly became loaded off a four-pitch walk to freshman catcher Tom Murphy. With the bases loaded, Lawler cleared the bags with a three-RBI double, sending a shot over the head of Miami left fielder Kyle Weldon and to the left field wall.
In the bottom of the third, Skonieczki tacked on a run off a solo shot down the left field line for his fourth home run of the season and 10th of his career to give the Bulls a 4-0 lead.
Trailing 5-0 in the top of the sixth, the RedHawks scored their only run of the afternoon off a solo home run over the right field wall by center fielder Adam Eaton.
Upon scoreless efforts in the seventh and eighth inning by the RedHawks, the final inning came down to sophomore reliever Kevin Crumb. For the third straight contest, the reliever closed out the RedHawks' chance of a late rally by recording the final out as he struck out Miami's final batter.
Edwards (1-5) pitched 4.1 perfect innings, retiring the first 13 batters faced before Miami designated hitter Nate Bowles recorded a base hit. In 7.2 innings of work, Edwards struck out three batters allowing only one run off four hits.
The Bulls managed to hold the RedHawks to only four hits in the entire contest.
Murphy went 2-for-3 with a run scored while Skonieczki collected a pair of hits, including an RBI and a run scored. Lawler recorded a game-high three RBIs, including a stolen base.
The Bulls (22-26, 8-15 MAC) will travel to Big Four rival St. Bonaventure for a seven-inning doubleheader on Tuesday, May 18 with the first pitch at 1:00 pm.
