Bowling Green
Bulls' Late Rally Falls Short at Bowling Green, 10-8
5/21/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
BOWLING GREEN, OH - The University at Buffalo baseball team's late ninth-inning rally fell short as the Bulls dropped their conference series opener to Bowling Green, 10-8, on Thursday afternoon at Warren Steller Field.
Trailing 10-4 in the top of the ninth, Buffalo hoped for a late comeback. Freshman catcher Tom Murphy started the Bulls off with a leadoff home run, the team's 12th leadoff home run to start an inning this season.
With runners at first and second, senior designated hitter Brad Cochrane recorded his fourth RBI of the day with a double down the left field line, scoring senior first baseman Rob Lawler. Cochrane's double was the 21st of this season, breaking the school single-season record for most doubles.
Facing two outs and a four run deficit, senior center fielder Adam Skonieczki tacked on a pair of runs off a two-run single into the right-center gap, driving in redshirt freshman Jason Kanzler, who was pinch running for Cochrane and senior second baseman Brad Agustin.
The Bulls' continued hope of a late rally ended off a pop up to third base as the Falcons held on for the 10-8 victory.
For their sixth consecutive contest, the Bulls scored the opening run as Skonieczki dropped an RBI single into center field for a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.
In the bottom of the second, Bowling Green erased Buffalo's lead off a two-run shot by left fielder Dennis Vaughn to left field.
The Falcons continued to extend their lead in the bottom of the second, erupting for five runs for a 7-1 lead. Following a pair of RBI singles, center fielder TJ Blanton blasted a three-run shot to dead center.
Off their own three-run shot, the Bulls pulled within three in the top of the fifth as Cochrane sent one over the left-center wall for his sixth home run of the season.
In 6.0 innings of work, senior starting pitcher Chaz Mye (4-7) suffered the loss in his final regular season start.
Skonieczki tallied a team-high three hits, adding three RBIs. Cochrane and Murphy recorded a pair of hits with Cochrane driving in a game-high four RBIs.
The Bulls (23-27, 9-16 MAC) will square off in game two of the conference weekend series versus the Falcons on Saturday, May 21 with the first pitch at 1:00 pm.
