DEKALB, IL - The University at Buffalo baseball team captured its first ever victory against Northern Illinois, 3-2, in the second game of a conference weekend series on Saturday afternoon at Ralph McKenzie Field. The Bulls entered the game with a 0-16 all-time record versus the Huskies.
The Bulls erased the Huskies' 1-0 advantage in the top
of the fourth. Reaching base off a walk, senior Bobby
Pizzuto managed to reach third off a wild pitch followed
by a dropped third strike. Off a ground out to short by
senior Rob
Lawler, Pizzuto reached home to tie the contest at 1-1.
In the top of the fifth, Buffalo captured a 2-1 lead. UB took the lead off an RBI single by senior Jacob Rosenbeck, driving in senior Adam Skonieczki.
Heading into the top of the seventh with the score tied at 2-2, the Bulls found a bit of déjà vu in Rosenbeck's next at bat. For the second time, Rosenbeck drove in Skonieczki off an RBI single to give the Bulls the lead, 3-2.
With the Bulls holding the lead, reliever Brian Pullybank shut down the Huskies' offense in the remaining three innings to record his first career save. Pullyblank allowed no hits, adding a strikeout.
Prior to Pullyblank's entrance in the game, starterPierre Miville-Deschenes (3-3) struck out four batters in six innings of work, allowing only five hits to pick up the victory.
Skonieczki and Rosenbeck each went 3-for-4 at the plate. Skonieczki scored a pair of runs, including three stolen bases, tying his single-game record for most stolen bases set on April 28, 2007 versus Akron. Rosenbeck added a pair of RBIs.
The Bulls (12-11, 2-3 MAC) will finish their conference weekend series against the Huskies on Sunday, April 4 with the opening pitch at 2:00 pm ET.