UNION CITY, Tenn. – The University at Buffalo baseball team (1-0, 0-0 MAC) opened up their 2017 regular season in impressive fashion as they were able to collect a 10-2 road victory at UT Martin on Friday afternoon. Seven UB players recorded at least one hit while six players notched a run scored in the season opening victory over the Skyhawks. The 10 runs scored for the Bulls were the most they have scored in a season opener since they scored 12 in 2011 against New Mexico State.
“Our seniors did a tremendous job coming out and setting the tone,” stated head coach Ron Torgalski. “Alec Tuohy was Alec Tuohy as he threw strikes and kept UT Martin batters off balance. Alex Thrower and Chris Kwitzer both had good days at the plate. This was a great way to start the season.”
The Bulls were able to get runners on in each of the first two innings but weren’t able to bring any runners around to score. Alex Thrower hit a sharp single to center field in the first inning but was stranded at third base after advancing on a failed pickoff attempt. Kyle Brennan notched a two-out double down the right field line and Brian Dudek worked a walk but both runners were stranded on base to end the second inning.
Skyhawk starting pitcher Dom Bazzani began to lose his control in the third inning as he walked the bases loaded with Thrower, Vinny Mallaro and Chris Kwitzer each working the free passes. With the bases loaded for the first time this season, Andrew Taft grounded one back to the pitcher to end the threat as UB left six runners on base through three innings.
Buffalo finally broke through with runners in scoring position in the fourth inning as Brian Dudek reached on a fielder’s choice, Eddie Edwards III singled to left field and Thrower walked to load the bases for Ben Haefner. Haefner then took the third pitch of his at bat down the right field line for a bases clearing double, giving UB the 3-0 lead. Mallaro then reached second base on a throwing error by pitcher Peyton Cain that allowed Haefner to come around and score to give the Bulls the 4-0 lead. Kwitzer then closed out the scoring in the fourth as he hit a sharp single through the left side of the infield to score Mallaro from third.
Starting pitcher Alec Tuohy was cruising along until the bottom of the fifth inning when he allowed his first two hits of the game. After striking out Creighton Eldridge to give the Skyhawks two outs with the bases loaded, Tuohy induced a pop up to second base to end the threat in the fifth.
The Bulls added another run in the sixth to make it 6-0 as Phillip Tomasulo started the inning with a hit by pitch before Thrower notched an infield single. After a Haefner ground out to second moved the runners up, Mallaro hit a fly ball to right field and the outfielder dropped the ball, allowing Tomasulo to score from third. Kwitzer then made it 7-0 with his second RBI single of the game, this time to right field to score Thrower from third.
After Tuohy was replaced on the mound by freshman Greg Dunham, the Skyhawks got on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning as Dan Kerwin notched a solo homer to left center, making it 7-1 in favor of the Bulls.
Ben Vey replaced Dunham in the seventh with runners on the corners and just one out but was able to work out of the jam as he notched a swinging strikeout and a fly out to right.
UB was able to add three runs in the top of the ninth inning as Thrower singled to right center to score Eddie Edwards III, Mallaro recorded a sacrifice fly to plate Tomasulo from third and Kwitzer recorded his third RBI single of the game through the right side to score Thrower.
Kwitzer finished off his impressive day at the plate going 3-for-4 with three RBI, two walks and two stolen bases, tying a career-high. Ben Haefner went 1-for-5 with a three-RBI double and a run in the win. Thrower had a strong game at the plate as he went 3-for-4 with a career-high three runs scored, a pair of walks and a RBI. Mallaro collected two RBI, a run scored and a walk as he has now reached base in 32 straight games dating back to last season.
Tuohy shined on the mound for the Bulls on Friday as the senior pitched five scoreless innings while allowing just two hits and he struck out five Skyhawk batters in his first win of the season. Vey finished off his impressive game out of the UB bullpen going 2.2 innings while allowing three hits, one run and striking out two batters.
Buffalo will return to the diamond tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 pm as they will take on the UT Martin Skyhawks in the second game of the three game series. Charlie Sobieraski will take the mound for the Bulls on Saturday.
from UBBulls.com via IFTTT
