BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Canisius College baseball team was bested in both games of a crucial Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader on Saturday,as the Bobcats defeated the Griffs in the first game 5-1, while winning, 7-4 in game No. 2. With the losses the Blue and Gold dropped to 26-25 overall, and 12-8 in MAAC play, while Quinnipiac improved to 20-28 and 9-11 in conference action.

GAME ONE:

A two-run first inning, proved to be enough for Quinnipiac in the first contest as the Bobcats defeated the Griffs 5-1 to start the doubleheader.

The Blue and Gold had opportunities in the contest, as the squad stranded seven base runners and tallied just five hits.

Alex Godzak got the start and despite a rocky first frame, the starter had his best outing of the season, working three innings, yielding just two hits and two runs with a trio of strikeouts in the losing effort.

Aaron Casper came on and relieved Godzak and worked 4.1 innings, allowed three hits, and two runs, while fanning five in the no-decision. Michael Ginther and Andrew Kneussle combined for the final 1.2 innings of work and allowed just one hit between them.

Thomas Jankins made the start and was a slippery starter for the Bobcats as he avoided Canisius' big inning, working six innings and allowing five hits and just one earned run in the win.

In a game where hits were hard to come by for both squads, the Griffs had five different players record hits, with Adam Tricarico, as the only player to notch a RBI in the loss.

For Quinnipiac Joseph Burns did the damage, as he was responsible for two homeruns in the game and totaled five RBI in the win.

GAME TWO

In the second game of the doubleheader, two big offensive innings, were enough to erase a small Canisius lead earlyin the ball game, as Quinnipiac scored four runs in the top of the fourth and three in the top of the seventh, to secure the 7-4 victory.

For the second-straight game the Blue and Gold left seven runners on base as the squad struggled to score when in position to do so.

Nolan Hunt got the start for Canisius and labored through three innings, surrendering three hits and two earned runs in the outing. Tyler Smith came on in relief and worked four innings and allowed five runs on seven hits in the loss.

On offense Christ Conley led the way in hits, recording two in three at bats, while also notching an RBI. Liam Wilson led the team in RBI, recording a pair on one hit in the contest.

Quinnipiac did damage to itself in the as two straight walks put runners aboard and a balk moved them over. Wilson grounded out to second, which scored Jake Lumley, while a batter later Massicci scored on a balk, capping the scoring and giving the Griffs a 2-0 lead.

A four run rally in the top of the fourth turned the tide for the Bobcats, as the squad recorded four hits during the stretch, highlighted by John Bodehamer who doubled to RF and advanced due to an error, which drove in a pair of runs.

Quinnipiac added three more in the top of the seventh before the Griffs attempted the comeback.

Wilson once again drove in a run thanks to a fielders choice, as Lumley came into score. Conley singled to right field later in the inning which brough in Wilson, but starting catch was thrown out when trying to stretch the knock into a double to end the inning, and the game 7-4.

The Blue and Gold wrap up its home slate tomorrow at the Demske Sports Complex, as the team will play the series finale scheduled for 12 p.m. Aside from the game, the Griffs will celebrate the careers of its five seniors from the 2016 senior class.  That ceremony will take place prior to the start of the game.