BUFFALO, N.Y. ? The Ohio and Buffalo baseball teams played 13 innings this afternoon without a conclusion as rain suspended the Mid-American Conference series opener. Already scheduled to play a doubleheader on Saturday, the two teams will try to put a wrap on the game to start things off at noon.

The Bobcats took a 6-2 lead into the bottom of the eighth inning but Buffalo plated five runs off of Ohio starter Derek Witt (Powell, Ohio) and reliever Dan O?Rourke (Monongahela, Pa.) to claim a 7-6 lead. Ohio responded with two runs in the top of the ninth for an 8-7 advantage that dissipated once again as the Bulls tied it in the home half of the frame. From there, the two teams played three and a half innings of scoreless ball before the game was suspended in the middle of the 13th because of heavy rain.

Bobcat catcher Ben Crabtree (Roxbury, Conn.), who entered the day 28 hits shy of Ohio?s all-time record, has recorded a 4-6 performance with three doubles in the game to this point. The senior recorded and RBI two-bagger in the third inning and scored Dusty Hammond (Bellefontaine, Ohio) on a single for the tying run in the ninth.

Ohio was the first to break through on the scoreboard in its second at-bat. With the bases loaded and two outs, Bryant Witt (Powell, Ohio) reached on an error by the Buffalo second baseman which allowed Crabtree to cross the plate. Crabtree?s first RBI of the day came just one inning later as his double scored Anthony Gressick (Lancaster, Ohio) all the way from first for a 2-0 lead.

After Witt retired the first two batters in the Buffalo third, the Bobcat right-hander was touched for two tallies to tie the game ? both unearned ? as Ohio committed two errors.

Following scoreless innings in the fourth and fifth, four Ohio batters reached on hits in the top of the sixth. Crabtree?s second double of the day got things started and he was followed by singles from Brian Colopy (Columbus, Ohio) and Willie Walker (Marysville, Ohio), the second of which regained the lead for the Bobcats. Phil Sabatini (Oakmont, Pa.) then doubled to right center to plate Colopy for a 4-2 edge.

The same crew of Colopy, Walker, and Sabatini got involved in the action again in the eighth inning as the Bobcats extended the lead to 6-2. Colopy led off with a single and advanced to second on an error. Walker?s groundout moved Colopy over to third and Sabatini?s triple made sure he scored. Sabatini then scored on a squeeze bunt by Jon Vondrell (Centerville, Ohio) for a four-run lead.

Witt couldn?t hold off the Bulls, however, as he got in trouble in the eighth. Once again, all the damage came with two outs. A walk and back-to-back singles cut the visitor?s lead to 6-3 and a three-run homer by James Kingsley tied it at 6-6. A follow-up single brought the hook to Witt and, with O?Rourke on, a single down the right field line gave the Bulls their first lead of the day at 7-6.

Crabtree?s RBI hit tied it at 7-7 in the top of the ninth and Colopy?s infield single scored Gressick from third for the lead once again.

Just one out away from the victory in the bottom of the ninth, Buffalo standout Joe Mihalics tripled off of O?Rourke to score the tying run and send the game to extras.

The Bobcats were the first to threaten as they placed two runners on in the 10th with one out, but Hammond grounded out and Crabtree fouled out.

Buffalo made a bid for the victory in its half of the 11th inning as Andrew Wengert singled to lead off but eventually got stranded at second as O?Rourke held the remaining Bulls? bats at bay.

Heavy rains came and play was suspended after Crabtree was left on base following his third double of the outing in the 13th inning. The game will pick up from there on Saturday.

Colopy (3-for-6) and Sabatini (2-for-5) join Crabtree as the only Bobcats to record multiple-hit games to this point.

The Bobcats have had one other game suspended this season, a non-conference contest in Athens against Michigan. They have lost a total of six games to rain and snow this season, including two league games at Kent State.

Following the conclusion of the series opener, the Bobcats and Buffalo are scheduled to close out the series with a doubleheader tomorrow. The first game is set to commence at noon.