Bulls Claw Back to Claim Series Opener at Akron

Friday, April 26

6 pm

University at Buffalo

22-17-0, 0

Akron

9-30-0, 0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Buffalo	1	0	3	1	0	2	0	0	0	7	11	1
Akron	1	4	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	6	15	0

Bulls Claw Back to Claim Series Opener at Akron

4/26/2013 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

AKRON, OH - Despite falling behind 5-1 after the first two innings of play, the Buffalo baseball team made history Friday evening, coming back to beat Akron (9-30, 6-10 MAC) 7-6, at Canal Park. With the win, the Bulls moved to 22-17 overall and 12-4 in the Mid-American Conference. The overall win mark matches the modern era record for wins in a single season, set by the 2010 team, and the 12 conference win sets a new high water mark for the Bulls in the MAC.

An important individual mark was set as well in the game, as senior Alex Baldock set the new career record for doubles, hitting his 51st in the first inning to pass James Kingsley (2003-06).

The game started on a rough note for UB, who scored the game's first run but still fell behind 5-1 after two complete innings. Jimmy Topps led off the game with a double, and Baldock's record-setting hit drove him in to make it 1-0. Led by three hits and four walks over the next two innings by Akron, though, the Zips moved ahead 5-1 against starter Mike McGee.

For the second straight weekend, Ben Hartz came in for a long relief role, and again the true freshman came through. After entering the game with two outs in the second inning, he went all the way through the end of the sixth, which allowed the offense to make its comeback.

The comeback started almost immediately by the Bulls, who plated three runs in the top of the third to support Hartz and cut it to a 5-4 game. Mike Scarcello led off with a single, and Topps would bunt his way on base for a single. Akron would get a ground out and a fielder's choice that nabbed Scarcello at home to work around the initial jam, but Buffalo would rally with two outs. Tyler Mautner hit a double down the left field line that would score Topps and Baldock, who had reached on the fielder's choice. Kyle Figgins then capped the inning with a single back up the middle.

Buffalo would square the game up at 5-5 in the next inning, as Jon Mestas manufactured his own run. He would lead off the inning by getting hit by a pitch, then stole second with one out. After an infield single from Mike Burke, Scarcello brought Mestas home from third with a sacrifice fly.

Akron would not go quietly, and nearly broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth. Devon Ahart led off the inning with a triple, and scored on a sac fly to put the home team back up, 6-5. With two runners on and just one out, Brady Stewart singled through the left side, but Topps came up throwing and managed to snag the runner at home for the critical second out. Hartz would allow another hit to load the bases, but escaped with no further harm.

The Bulls would take the lead back for good in the top of the sixth, starting with a lead off single from Kyle Figgins. After he made it to second on a wild pitch, Mestas doubled him home to make it 6-5. A groundout moved him to third, and Burke would score him on a sacrifice fly.

In the seventh inning, Hartz was relieved for closer River McWilliams, who was dominant over his three innings to nail down his ninth save of the season. He came into the game in the seventh after Hartz allowed a lead off single, and he immediately drew a double play ball. He threw a 1-2-3 eighth inning, and allowed one hit in the bottom of the ninth but got a fly out to end it.

Scarcello led the team with a perfect 3-3 day, as Topps and Figgins also recorded multiple hits. The Zips held a 15-11 advantage in hits, making it just the third time in 16 opportunities that UB won a game in which it allowed more hits to the opposition.

After playing the opening game at Canal Park - home of the Akron Aeros, Double A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, tomorrow's game will be played at Lee R. Jackson Field. The original start time has been moved from 1 pm to 2 pm, with Anthony Magovney earning the start for UB.