11-19, 0
Central Michigan
25-13, 0
Baseball Powers Past MAC Leading Central Michigan; Defeats Chippewas 11-7
4/17/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Mike Abrunzo Post Game Interview
BUFFALO, NY – Behind a season-high 18 hits by the UB offense, the Bulls collected an 11-7 victory over MAC leading Central Michigan on Friday night in the series opening contest at Amherst Audobon Field. With the win, UB improves to 11-19 overall and 5-8 in MAC play while the Chippewas fall to 25-13 overall and 10-3 in MAC games.
"Im really proud of the way the guys battled back after giving up three runs in the first inning," said head coach Ron Torgalski. "Brent Cleland did a good job minimizing the damage and making it four more innings. This is the way we want to start the weekend and hopefully we can continue to swing the bats like this tomorrow."
The Bulls offense was impressive on Friday night as all nine batters collected at least one hit while seven batters notched at least two hits. Mike Abrunzo and Justin Gonzalez were tough to get out on Friday as each player recorded three hits in the win against Central Michigan's best pitcher, Nick Deeg. Abrunzo finished 3-for-5 with two runs scored while Gonzalez went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, one RBI and one run scored.
After a shaky first inning that saw the Chippewas score three runs, Brent Cleland calmed down and got through the fifth inning, giving him his second win of the season. Cleland finished the game going five innings while allowing four earned runs and striking out six batters. Alec Tuohy replaced Cleland in the sixth with the 11-5 lead and he finished off the final four innings, earning his third save of the season while striking out four batters.
Trailing 3-0 in the bottom of the second inning, the Bulls offense began to click as Ben Vey started the inning off with a sharp single into right field, marking his 13th straight game reaching base. Chris Kwitzer then knocked a deep shot to the wall in right center that moved Vey up to third with one out. Sophomore Vinny Mallaro then hit a deep sacrifice fly to center field to score Vey before Gonzalez connected on his first of two doubles in the game to score Kwitzer from second, making the score 3-2 in favor of the visitors heading into the third.
After Central Michigan added a run to make it 4-2, the Bulls offense put together another multi-run inning as they were able to score four and take the 6-4 lead. UB opened the inning earning back-to-back walks to Ben Haefner and Bobby Sheppard before Abrunzo singled to load the bases. Vey then connected on sacrifice fly to right field to score Haefner from third and then Charlie Sobieraski loaded the bases once again as he was hit by a pitch. Kwitzer then collected his lone RBI of the game as he grounded out to first base, scoring Sheppard. Vinny Mallaro stepped in and crushed a double to deep right center, scoring two Bulls and giving Mallaro a team-high three RBI's.
UB backed up their four run inning in the third with a three run inning in the fourth, opening up the 9-4 lead over the Chippewas. Nick Sinay opened the inning with a line drive single to center and he was moved over to second on a Haefner ground out. Sheppard then dug in and ripped a single to right field, scoring Sinay from second. Abrunzo then singled to advance Sheppard to third Vey and Sobieraski connected on RBI singles to blow open the game.
Central Michigan picked up a run in the fifth but UB responded once again with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning. Gonzalez opened up the inning with a single and he ended up on third after a Sinay bunt single to third base. Sinay then took off and stole second base, marking his eighth straight game with at least one stolen base and his 31st steal overall. Haefner then recorded a two-RBI single to right center, giving him a team-best five multi-RBI games on the season.
With the 11-5 lead, Tuohy locked down the Chippewas potent attack and solidified the Bulls fifth MAC win of the season.
Sinay continued to do what he does at the top of the Bulls lineup as he went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, giving him 17 straight games where he reached base and improved on his team-best batting average (.343). Sheppard had a strong day at the plate as well as he finished 2-for-4 with two runs and one RBI while Sobieraski went 2-for-3 with a run and a RBI.
The two teams will return to Amherst Audobon Field on Saturday afternoon at 1:00 pm for the second game of a three game set. UB will be looking for their second straight MAC series victory as Anthony Magovney will take the hill for the Bulls.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Cleland, Brent (2-4)
L: Deeg, N. (6-3)
S: Tuohy, Alec (3)
Batting:
2B: Borglin, A. 1
RBI: MacKenzie, P 1 ; Regnier, L. 1 ; Houlihan, J. 2 ; Jipping, D. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Borglin, A. 2 ; MacKenzie, P 1 ; Huntey, T. 2 ; Regnier, L. 1 ; McKinstry, Z 1
SB: Borglin, A. 1 ; MacKenzie, P 2 ; Regnier, L. 1 ; Regnier, N. 1
CS: McKinstry, Z 1
Batting:
2B: Kwitzer, Chris 1 ; Mallaro, Vinny 1 ; Gonzalez, Justin 2
RBI: Haefner, Ben 2 ; Sheppard, Bobby 1 ; Vey, Ben 2 ; Sobieraski, Charlie 1 ; Kwitzer, Chris 1 ; Mallaro, Vinny 3 ; Gonzalez, Justin 1
SF: Vey, Ben 1 ; Mallaro, Vinny 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sinay, Nick 2 ; Haefner, Ben 1 ; Sheppard, Bobby 2 ; Abrunzo, Mike 2 ; Vey, Ben 1 ; Sobieraski, Charlie 1 ; Kwitzer, Chris 1 ; Gonzalez, Justin 1
SB: Sinay, Nick 1
HBP: Sinay, Nick 1 ; Sobieraski, Charlie 2
PO: Gonzalez, Justin 1
