Bulls Power Past Eagles, 7-4

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Braving the bone chilling weather conditions here at Oestrike Stadium Friday afternoon, April 12, the Eastern Michigan University baseball team suffered a 7-4 setback in the series opener to the visiting University at Buffalo Bulls.

With the loss, EMU snaps a two-game winning steak and falls to 14-17 (4-6 MAC) while Buffalo improves to 17-13 (7-3 MAC).

The Eagles were led by Sam Ott who went 1-for-4 with an RBI and run scored while John Rubino and Dae Bowden each tallied a hit and run scored.

Buffalo totaled 13 hits for the game led by Thomas Richards who went 2-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI. Mike McGee picked up the win tossing 5 and 1/3 innings with two strikeouts.

The Bulls wasted no time getting on the board as EMU pitcher Neil Butara walked the lead-off batter. Butara bounced back with a strikeout on the Bulls' best hitter, Jason Kanzler. However, a single and a wild pitch quickly put runners on the corners with one out. Third baseman Mitchell McGeein fumbled a grounder to third as the UB runner crossed the plate to make it 1-0. The Bulls added another run on a sacrifice fly after second baseman Nick Rotola made an over-the-shoulder catch down the right field line in foul territory. Butara recorded his second strikeout of the game to get out of the first with the Eagles trailing, 2-0.

The Bulls added four in the top half of the third to increase their lead to 6-0. After a leadoff double and a hit batsman, both runners advanced in scoring position courtesy of a sacrifice bunt. UB second baseman Jon Mestas recorded his second sac fly of the afternoon to bring in another run. A single by Mike Burke made it a four-run difference before Richards sent a long ball over the right field fence, making it 6-0.

Richards put the Bulls up 7-0 with his second homer of the game in the top of the sixth inning. However, the Eagles got on the board with two runs in the bottom half as Bowden led off with a triple followed by a double from Ott. After Lee Longo was hit by a pitch, Adam Sonabend added a single to load the bases. Ott then scored on an ensuing wild pitch to cut Buffalo's lead to 7-2.

EMU kept chipping away with another run in the seventh when pinch-runner Marquise Gill scored as Buffalo turned a bases-loaded double play.

In the bottom of the ninth, Rubino scored on a wild pitch with runners on first and third with two outs to pull within three runs, 7-4. However, Buffalo pitcher River McWilliams was able to get Longo to fly out to end the game.

Game two of the three-game series is set for Saturday, April 13 at 3 p.m.

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Team Stats

John Rubino

Dae Bowden

Sam Ott

Adam Sonabend

Eastern Michigan Athletics