Slipping Away

The Buffalo Bulls battled, of that there is no question. They battled so hard that when they had the opportunity to steal a victory, they did not know what to do with it.

The Buffalo Bulls (8-24, 3-10 MAC) dropped two games to the Miami RedHawks (20-16-1, 8-3 MAC) in very emotional contests at the Amherst Pepsi Center on Saturday.

In the second contest of the evening, the Bulls managed to take the RedHawks into extra innings when an error by RedHawks shortstop Zach Schmidt allowed freshman David Amaro's groundball to stand up, bringing in sophomore Joe Mihalics to tie the game at 4-4.

In the top of the 10th inning, the Bulls imploded. Relief pitcher Chris McGraw allowed seven hits and five runs in 12 batters faced. Buffalo only managed one run in that frame, and Miami dropped Buffalo 9-5.

"We hung with them all day, we played great today," said pitcher Nick Bellacose, who went 8.1 innings, allowing four runs off six hits. "Everyone knew what they were supposed to do on defense. Baseball just happens like that sometimes."

Buffalo started with the lead when shortstop Phil Vanhorne crossed the plate on a RBI single by catcher Brandon DiCesare in the first inning. Miami took the lead in the second with a two run blast to center field from third baseman Brian Canada. UB rebounded to tie in the sixth and seventh innings, but also squandered opportunities to take a commanding lead by leaving five men on base in those frames.

"We started off slow, but we've scored some runs lately. Hopefully this is going to keep continuing," Bellacose said on the Bulls' offensive woes.

Getting the win for Miami was reliever Michael Gardener, who only pitched 0.1 innings with one hit and no runs.

The Bulls left 13 men on base during the game, compared to Miami's four. Right fielder Andrew Wengert and center fielder Clint McKeever both had doubles in the game, with Wengert earning his in the fifth, and McKeever in the 10th.

Emotional fourth inning spells disaster for Bulls

It ended as quickly as it started. Bulls' pitcher John Sullivan knew it was wrong as soon as it finished. The home crowd knew it was wrong before it started.

Buffalo's head coach Bill Breene was thrown out of the game for arguing to the officials in the fourth frame and Miami would capitalize by scoring five runs in that inning on the way to defeating the Bulls 9-1.

After Sullivan argued a call with the umpire, the umpire came off the plate and started to argue further with him. At that point, Breene went out on behalf of his pitcher, it was then that Breene was thrown out.

"The strike zone seemed like a shoe box," said starting pitcher John Sullivan after the game. "I wasn't too happy with him I guess. I shouldn't have done that. You never win an argument with an umpire."

The devastating blow was struck by Miami hitter David Cook in that same inning, as he took a three run shot out of the park to put Miami ahead for good.

Sullivan was hit by a comeback liner in the fourth as well. He had to be taken out of the game because of loss of feeling in his arm.

"I got hit in the left arm, actually, the left hand. I've been having trouble (in the left arm) and when I went to go pick up the ball, I couldn't feel my hand," Sullivan said.

"It's not out of the ordinary," he added. "It wasn't the first time it ever happened to me. I'm fine."

The lone run for Buffalo was scored by Brian Zelasko off of a RBI single by Brandon DiCesare in the bottom of the fifth to make it 6-1.

Sullivan was charged with the loss after 5.0 innings pitched where he allowed six hits and five earned runs. Matt Long picked up the win for Miami after 5.0 innings pitched, four hits and one earned run. Cook's home run was his second of the series.