Late Comeback Helps Bulls to Sweep

Sunday, March 20

12 pm

5-11

N.C. Central

1-18

BUFFALO

NC Central

3/20/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

DURHAM, NC - After totaling 30 runs in the first two games of the Buffalo baseball team's series at North Carolina Central, the offense got off to a slow start in the Sunday afternoon game. Nine runs between the sixth and eighth inning helped the team come from behind to sweep the weekend series, 9-2. A strong effort from the pitching staff helped keep the team in the game all the way through.

For the first time in the series, NC Central scored the first run of the game. An error by the Bulls allowed the Eagles to go up 1-0 in the fourth inning. The score remained 1-0 until the sixth inning, when Eric Bryce drew a leadoff walk and two bunts moved him to third base with one out. Andrew Smietana grounded out to second base but Bryce was able to score and tie the game up.

In the next inning, the team took its first lead right away, with Daniel Scahill hitting a leadoff home run following a pitching change by NC Central. Alex Baldock drew a walk and Tom Murphy singled through the left side of the infield. An error on a hit by River McWilliams scored Baldock and Murphy to extend the lead. Bryce hit a solo home run to chase another Eagle pitcher and put the Buffalo lead at 5-1. Smietana hit a runs scoring triple and Matt Pollock knocked him home with a single to give the team its sixth run of the inning.

Bryce, a senior who was starting in just his fourth game this season, had one more big hit to cap a career-best weekend. After Murphy doubled down the left field line, Bryce came up and hit his second home run of the game. In this three-game series alone, Bryce has hit five home runs and has driven in ten runs while walking five times and scoring seven times.

The late-inning offense was more than enough for starting pitcher Josh Edwards, who went deep in to the game and was very effective. Edwards earned his first win of the season thanks to seven innings where he allowed only six hits and one unearned run. He also struck out eight batters, the most strikeouts by a Bulls pitcher all season.

With the Spring Break road trip finally over, the Bulls will head home with a 5-11 record. Next up will be the team's first game in New York state, a two-game series against Big 4 rival St. Bonaventure on the road. First pitch will be at 2 pm for fans hoping to make the trip down to Olean to see the team in action for the first time this season.