Bulls Open Series at Western Michigan With Emphatic Win

Friday, March 29

3 pm

13-11, 0

Western Michigan

8-16, 0

Buffalo

Western Michigan

Bulls Open Series at Western Michigan With Emphatic Win

3/29/2013 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

KALAMAZOO, MI - It was a good Friday indeed for the Buffalo baseball team, as it overcame a two-run deficit in the first inning to win 10-3 over the Western Michigan Broncos (8-16, 3-1 MAC). The Bulls (13-11, 3-1 MAC) relied on a station-to-station offense with only one hit for extra bases, but had four players with multi-hit games.

The game started on an ominous note for the Bulls, as the Broncos used its team speed to manufacture a pair of runs. The Buffalo offense, meanwhile, started slow, with the first 10 batters being retired before a walk to Jason Kanzler in the top of the fourth. After starting the game 1-13, though, the Bulls finished 11-26 (.423) at the plate from that point on.

In the top of the fifth, Thomas Richards hit a one-out single and came around to third via a passed ball and a fly out to deep center field. Mike Scarcello would drive him in on a surprise bunt single that caught the Western defense off guard, halving the home team's lead at 2-1.

The big inning would come in the sixth, as the Bulls used five hits and two free passes to generate six runs and blow the game wide open. Alex Baldock hit a one-out double to right field to start things out, and a hit batter and walk would load the bases and chase WMU's starter from the game. The Bulls' second out would come on a fielder's choice that snared Baldock at home, but the double play would not be turned by the infield and the inning would continue.

Richards drew a walk that would score a run, and Kyle Figgins would give the Bulls a 4-2 lead with a single straight up the middle that would score two more. Scarcello would add another infield single to load the bases back up again, and Jimmy Topps would join the hit parade with another single back through the heart of the infield. Kanzler, in his second at-bat of the inning, would fair better the second time around, singling to left field to score the fifth and sixth runs of the inning.

The run support was welcome for UB starter Mike McGee, but not necessary, as the sophomore left-hander was able to pitch around control issues and limit the Bronco offense to just the two first-inning runs. Though he walked five in his 6.1 innings, he allowed just three hits.

River McWilliams was solid in relief, coming into a jam in the bottom of the seventh with two runners on and just one out. He would close out the game with 2.2 innings out of the bullpen, allowing just two hits and working around three errors committed by the UB defense over the final third of the game.

Meanwhile, the Bulls kept chugging offensively, adding a run in the eighth and two more in the ninth. Scarcello found his way on base again in the eighth, getting hit by a pitch. He moved all the way around to third after a balk and wild pitch, and Topps would bring him in on a groundout to the right side of the infield. In the ninth, Baldock and Tyler Mautner would get on base to start the inning, and back-to-back single by Jon Mestas and Richards would bring each of them home.

The bottom of the lineup was the fuel for the UB offense all day, with the sixth through nine hitters combining to go 7-18 with six runs batted in between them. Mautner, Mestas, Richards, and Scarcello each had a pair of hits.

Due to poor weather in the forecast the series will come to a close tomorrow, with a doubleheader starting at noon. Anthony Magovney will start game one, and Mike Burke will close out the series in game two.