The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Buffalo
Baseball Suffers Late Loss to Buffalo, 6-5; Game Three Moved to Noon on Sunday
May 09 | Baseball
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AKRON, Ohio – The Zips were unable to string together a late rally after Buffalo took its first lead of the game in a two-run eighth inning, as the University of Akron baseball team fell to the Bulls, 6-5, on Saturday afternoon at Lee R. Jackson Field.
Additionally, the series finale on Sunday, May 10 has been moved to a noon start at Lee Jackson Field, due to impending weather.
With the loss, Akron moved to 23-25 overall and 11-12 in the Mid-American Conference. The Bulls improved to 15-30 and 7-16 in conference play.
Sophomore catcher Brian Lees led Akron offensively with a 3-for-5 showing while junior infielder Billy Salem posted a game-high two RBI.
Akron got off to a scoring start, plating all of its runs in the opening two frames.
Early momentum gave the Zips a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first after three-straight singles, including an RBI single from redshirt junior Gerrad Rohan. With two outs, Salem knocked a two-run double to plate Rohan and Lees for the early lead.
Akron's final two runs came in the second when junior outfielder Daulton Mosbarger and senior infielder Matt Rembielak led off the inning with base hits. A sacrifice fly off the bat of Joey Havrilak plated Mosbarger while Rembielak was sent home on a UB error. The Zips led 5-0 through two innings.
Buffalo came back with three hits in the third to plate three runs and cut Akron's lead to 5-3 before posting another three-hit inning in the seventh to come within one run of the Zips at 5-4.
The Bulls took advantage of an Akron error in the eighth to tie the game. An RBI single from Brian Dudek in the next at bat handed the Bulls their first lead of the game and the 6-5 victory.
A pair of walks and two stolen bases helped Akron put the go-ahead run in scoring position in the bottom of the eighth, but the Zips could not push a run across.
Senior reliever Pat Dyer (3-2) was tagged with the loss after 3.0 innings of relief. Dyer allowed six hits and three runs, two earned. He walked one and struck out four.
Dyer took over for junior starter JT Brubaker who threw the first 6.0 innings and allowed four hits and three runs while walking three and fanning six.
Akron struggled against a pair of Buffalo relievers, Ben Hartz and Mike Kaelin, who combined for two innings of hitless relief to end the game.
The three-game series will conclude on Sunday at 12 p.m. at Lee Jackson Field.
