Errors Prove Costly in Shootout Loss to Georgia
3/7/2014 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
ATHENS, GA - A fast start for the UB (6-2) offense was undone by errors in the field as the Bulls fell to Georgia in the opening game of the Bulldog Invitational, 11-10 Saturday evening. While the Bulls would knock out 14 hits, the Bulldogs would overcome an early deficit to earn the win at home. The nine through four hitters in the Buffalo lineup would combine for 11 hits, led by three hits for Jimmy Topps.
The senior centerfielder would lead off the game with a double and score the game's first run as Buffalo would score seven runs through the first three innings. Tyler Mautner and Nick Sinay would strike for two-run singles in the second and third innings, respectively, as UB would own a 7-3 lead after three.
Errors would haunt the team in the fifth inning, as three errors would allow for five runs to cross the plate in the home half of the inning and give Georgia the 8-7 lead. The inning would chase starter Mike McGee from the game, as the UGA offense would frustrate the junior lefty by drawing six walks and plating four runs (two earned) off of him in just over four innings of work. Cory Folk would also be stung by the defensive miscues, and would be tagged for five runs (three earned) in 1.1 innings of relief.
Georgia would extend the lead to 9-7 after six innings before the Bulls would couterpunch with a pair of runs to tie the game in the seventh. Sinay and Matt Pollock would hit RBI singles to tie the game, but the Dawgs would take the lead back for good with two more runs in the home half of the seventh.
In its last chance to make the comeback in the top of the ninth, Pollock hit a one-out triple to right field and would come home on a sacrifice fly from Mautner, but the Bulls would run out of outs and lose by a lone run.
The weekend invitational continues Saturday evening. UB's opponent, Western Carolina, is coming off a shootout win over 15th-ranked Clemson on Tuesday night, winning 18-10. The Catamounts are also coming in on a hot streak, winners of seven straight while averaging over 11 runs per game in that span to run out to an 8-2 overall record.
First pitch between the two teams is scheduled for 5 pm.
