Falcons Take Series Opener From Buffalo, 3-1

Thursday, May 14

Bowling Green, Ohio

3:05 pm ET

Bowling Green State University

21-27, 12-13

Buffalo

16-33, 7-18

Buffalo

Bowling Green

May 14, 2015 | Baseball

Box Score

By: by Scott Swegan, BGSU Athletic Communications

Final Statistics: HTML | PDF

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio—The Bowling Green State University baseball team crept ever-closer to securing a spot in next week's Mid-American Conference Tournament with a 3-1 win over Buffalo on Thursday afternoon. The series opener was played at Warren E. Steller Field. With the win, the Falcons improved to 21-27 overall and 12-13 in the MAC. Buffalo falls to 16-33 on the year and is now 7-18 in conference play.

"We didn't play all that well today, but our guys fought through and picked up a win," head coach Danny Schmitz said. "Some days you just don't have it, but you have to learn how to win on those days, too, and we did that today. I look for our guys to come out and play with more energy tomorrow afternoon."

Jason Link and Tony Landi combined to allow just one run on five hits to the Buffalo offense, holding the Bulls at bay for most of the afternoon. The lone run by Buffalo came in the sixth inning, an inning where they got their first three hits of the afternoon. However, Link worked out of the jam with a double play – one of three that the Falcons turned in the game – to maintain a 2-1 BGSU lead at the time.

The Falcons had jumped in front 2-0 earlier in the game, scoring a run in each of the first and fifth innings.

In the bottom of the first inning, Brandon Howard's speed caused problems on the base paths to lead to a run. Howard singled through the right side of the infield with one out, and then advanced all the way to third on an errant pickoff throw by Buffalo starter Brett Cleland. Howard came home, giving the Falcons a 1-0 lead, on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Trey Keegan.

Cleland was tagged with the loss in the game, pitching 6.2 innings and allowing three runs. Just one run was earned, however, as the UB defense committed seven errors in the loss. Link, making his final career appearance at Steller Field, was not to be outdone, however, equaling Cleland's 6.2 innings to improve his record to 5-3 on the season.

The Falcons increased their lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning, as Nick Glanzman singled to left field with one out. After stealing second, Glanzman scored with two outs on a single to right-center off the bat of Kory Brown.

After tossing five no-hit innings to begin the game, Buffalo got into the hit column off Link with a leadoff single up the middle to begin the top of the sixth. A single to center and a bunt single loaded the bases with nobody out. But, the veteran Link was able to work out of it, allowing just a sacrifice fly to score the lone Bulls' run of the game.

BGSU would get the run right back, as Howard led off the inning with a four-pitch walk. The redshirt senior then proceeded to steal his 35th and 36th bases of the season to reach third with two outs in the inning. After a crazy 15-pitch, 10-foul ball at-bat by Greg Basalyga, Howard scored as Buffalo dropped a fly ball in right field.

After recording two outs in the seventh, Link handed the ball to Landi with the bases loaded. Landi got a fly out, as the centerfielder Brown charged in to make the running catch for the final out of the inning.

Landi cruised through the eighth and ninth innings, getting a 6-4-3 double play to end the game. Landi picked up his fourth save of the season, registering the game's final seven outs.

The Falcons and Bulls will continue their series on Friday at 1:00 p.m. A win on Friday would clinch Bowling Green's spot in next week's MAC Tournament.