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BUFFALO — Junior pitcher Shawn Dubin went 7.0 innings of four-hit and no earned run ball as the University at Buffalo baseball team (14-25, 6-8 MAC) collected their second win over the Eastern Michigan Eagles on Saturday afternoon at Audobon Field, 5-2. Dubin allowed just one unearned run while striking out a career-best nine batters in his team-leading fourth win of the season.
Dubin was on his game all afternoon long on Saturday as he finished off his best performance of his career going 7.0 innings while allowing just four hits, one unearned run, three walks and striking out a career-high nine EMU batters. With the win, Dubin has now accumulated a career-high four victories on the mound for the Bulls while lowering his season ERA to 5.67 as he has struck out a team-high 50 batters in 54.0 innings of work this season.
The Bulls were able to strike first in the bottom of the first inning as they crossed two runners across home plate to jump out to the 2-0 lead. Alex Thrower started the inning with an infield single before moving to second on a Phillip Tomasulo sacrifice bunt and moved over to third on a passed ball. After a Ben Haefner walk gave UB runners on the corners, Vinny Mallaro produced an RBI single down the left field line to plate Thrower. A Chris Kwitzer walk loaded the bases full of Bulls and Haefner was able to score on a wild pitch to give the Bulls the 2-0 lead through one inning.
Dubin began to take over the game over the next three innings as he was able to strikeout four batters while allowing just one hit as the Bulls entered the fifth inning clinging onto the 2-0 lead.
The Eagles were able to break through with their first run of the game in the fifth inning as Drake Lubin walked and John Montgomery singled to give the Eagles runners on the corners. Montgomery then attempted a stolen base which allowed Lubin to come home as Haefner’s throw home got away from Kyle Brennan, making the score 2-1 on the unearned run. Dubin then got Drake Peggs swinging to end the threat in the inning.
After a scoreless bottom half of the fifth inning by UB, the bats awoke in the bottom of the sixth as the Bulls were able to score three runs in the inning to take the four-run lead over the Eagles. Tomasulo walked and Haefner singled to right field before Mallaro put a double off the top of the wall in left field to score Tomasulo from second base. Chris Kwitzer then dug in and knocked a single into right field to plate Haefner and Mallaro and give the Bulls the 5-1 lead.
Ben Vey replaced Dubin to start the eighth inning and he got in some trouble early. The Eagles were able to string together three straight singles to score a runner before Vey settled in and got the final two outs of the eighth to send the game to the final inning with the Bulls leading 5-2.
Vey stayed in the game in the ninth and closed the door on the Eagles as he was able to strikeout a pair of batters and force a flyout to left field which Eddie Edwards III made a great running play on to give UB the series clinching win over EMU, 5-2.
Kwitzer was able to extend his career-best hitting streak to 13 straight games on Saturday as he finished off his afternoon going 2-for-4 with two RBI and a walk in the win. Kwitzer saw his season batting average jump to a team-best .358 as he has notched five RBI in the two games against the Eagles so far this series.
Mallaro continued to be the most dangerous player in the Bulls lineup as he went 2-for-3 with two RBI, two walks and a run scored in the victory. Mallaro has now recorded a team-high 45 RBI on the season while raising his batting average to .331. Over his last nine games, Mallaro is batting .406 with six home runs, 23 RBI and 12 runs scored while slugging 1.031 and recording an on base percentage of .545.
Thrower finished off his afternoon going 2-for-4 with a run scored and a stolen base while Haefner stayed hot at the plate going 1-for-3 with two runs scored and two walks in the win. Over his last nine games, Haefner is batting an impressive .515 with 10 RBI while owning an on base percentage of .628.
The Bulls and Eagles will close out their three-game series on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 pm as UB will be looking for their first MAC series sweep of the season. Brent Cleland will pitch for UB on Sunday.
