Bowling Green State University
BUFFALO
Late Inning Heroics Leads Baseball To, 6-5, Come-From-Behind Win Over Buffalo
May 09, 2008 | Baseball
May 9, 2008
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - A three-run eighth inning, capped by an RBI-double from sophomore right fielder Mark Galvin, propelled the Bowling Green State University baseball team to a 6-5 come-from-behind victory on Friday evening over the University at Buffalo in game one of a three-game Mid-American Conference series at Warren E. Steller Field. With UB leading 5-3 entering the home half of the eighth, the Falcons exploded for three runs on Bulls' reliever Jeffrey Hains to take just their second lead of the game, as they held on for their fifth-straight victory and eighth in their last 10 contests.
The victory moved the Falcons to 25-18 overall and 11-8 in the MAC, while the Bulls fell to 13-33 and 6-15, respectively.
BG's victory came despite a stellar performance on the mound from UB starter Mike Stangroom, who kept the Falcons in check through seven innings. The MAC's leader in earned run average, allowed just three runs on five hits and recorded two strikeouts, as he allowed the Bulls to jump ahead with two runs in the top of the fourth inning after the Falcons jumped out to a 1-0 lead after two.
The Bulls went on to increase their to 4-1 in the fifth and then 5-3 after sixth, as the Falcons scored single runs in the bottom half of both innings to stay close.
Finally then in the seventh, the BG bullpen, which had given up just two runs and four hits in the its' last 11 and a 1/3 innings, took the hill and slowed down the UB bats. Freshman Brennan Smith, who relieved starter Frank Berry, would allow just two hits in two innings of work in the sixth and seventh innings, before turning things over to left-hander Brett Browning in the eighth.
Browning, who was a big part of the Falcons' doubleheader sweep at Ohio University a week ago, was once again in brilliant in relief duty, allowing a single hit in one and 1/3 innings. The senior from Cincinnati, Ohio, replaced Smith in the top half of the eighth with one out and runners at the corners. He proceeded then to get the second out of the inning on a 1-2 caught stealing play on a missed suicide squeeze, before ending the inning during the same at bat with his lone punch-out, as he got UB's Rob Mancini to go around on a pitch outside the zone.
With two big outs to get out of danger in the top half of the inning, the Falcons took aim at the win in the bottom half. Ryan Shay reached base to leadoff the inning on a throwing error by UB's shortstop, before being advanced two batters later on a one-out single by Brian Hangbers. Both runners moved up a base on a passed ball that got by UB catcher Rick Oliveri then to put runners at second and third for Derek Spencer.
After taking two balls, Spencer pounded a 2-0 pitch into center field that brought home both base runners to even the score at 5-5. But the inning's scoring wasn't over yet.
Following Spencer's at bat that tied the game up, Galvin would give BG the lead with an RBI-double that reached the gap in right center field to bring Spencer around from first and give his team a late 6-5 advantage.
Up a run entering the top half of the ninth, the Falcons stuck with Browning, who would record the inning's first two outs. Mixed in with the two outs however, was a one-out single by Bulls' center fielder Adam Skonieczki, which placed the tying run at first and would bring the go-ahead run to the plate for the last two outs.
After Browning got the following batter to fly out to left for the second out, the Falcons turned to right-hander Kevin Leady to get the game's final out. Leady answered with two quick strikes, before getting designated hitter Chris Ciesla to groundout to him for out 27 and big come-from-behind win.
For Leady it was his second save of the season as Browning (2-1) earned his second victory, going one and 1/3 innings.
Getting saddled with the loss for UB was Hains (2-7), who surrendered three runs on three hits in one inning of work.
Leading the way in the come-from-behind win for the Falcons was Hangbers, who finished 3-for-4 at the plate, accounting for two runs scored. Galvin, who drove in the game-winning run would go 2-for-4 as he tied Spencer for a team-high with two RBI.
Pacing the Bulls in defeat was Oliveri, who was 2-for-4 with two RBI, while Ciesla finished 2-for-5, also recording an RBI.
BG was out-hit 15-8 on the day as the win marked just its' fifth this season when being out-hit by its' opponent. Aiding in the effort were a season-high four double plays, which allowed the Falcons to strand eight UB runners.
The two squads will continue their series on Saturday with game two at Steller Field, which is scheduled for a 1 p.m. first pitch. Left-hander Kevin Light (3-3) will get the start for the Falcons against UB southpaw Jesse Reinstein (1-4). The game will be covered by BCSN with live statistics available once again via gametracker, which can be found on the team's schedule page.
