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Sports Recap
Nick Bellacose of the baseball team picked up the victory on the mound in UB's 4-1 defeat of Akron in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader. Bellacose went eight innings, allowing just one unearned run while scattering four hits and striking out five.
Faith Thompson of the women's track-and-field team broke her own school record in placing seventh in the shot put at the Raleigh Relays. Thompson's toss of 46-7.25 (14.20m) was 2 and a half feet better than her previous record, which she set last season and qualified the junior for NCAA regional competition.
Baseball
Akron 8, UB 0
Akron 4, UB 1
UB 4, Akron 1
Akron 4, UB 2
UB took one game in a four-game Mid-American Conference series with Akron over the weekend.
The Bulls opened the series with an 8-0 loss to the Zips on Friday afternoon at Lee Jackson Field. The Zips had a big first inning, batting around and scoring four runs to take control of the contest. Akron added two runs in the fourth inning and single runs in the sixth and eighth innings for the 8-0 final score. The Bulls pounded out eight hits by eight different players.
Saturday, the Bulls split a doubleheader with Akron as the Zips won the first game, 4-1, and the Bulls came back to take the nightcap, 4-1. Game one was a classic pitcher's duel, with both starters tossing gems. Akron starter Pat Watt allowed one run on only one hit and struck out seven to pick up his first win of the season. UB starter Tyler Balentine also pitched well, yielding only four hits and allowing three earned runs.
In game two, it was Nick Bellacose's turn to shine. The junior right-hander didn't allow an earned run and scattered four hits over eight innings to earn his first win of the year.
The Bulls (4-15 overall, 1-5 MAC) ended the series on a losing note, dropping a 4-2 decision on Sunday. Akron jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning after Israel Victor led off the game with a triple and scored on a single by Doug Kruthaupt. Buffalo starter John Sullivan settled down and didn't allow another run until the bottom of the sixth inning when Craig Welch scored on a sacrifice fly to make the score 2-0. UB rallied for two runs in the top of the seventh inning to tie the game. Brian Zelasko singled and later scored on a double by Phil Vanhorne. Then Vanhorne crossed the plate when a ground ball by Adrian Daniels was misplayed by Welch at first base. Chris McGraw relieved Sullivan in the seventh inning. After a 1-2-3 seventh, McGraw allowed two runs in the eighth inning and was charged with the loss.
Softball
UB 1, Niagara 0
UB 10, Niagara 2
Kent State 2, UB 0
Weather played an important role in the Bulls' softball schedule last week. UB's doubleheader at Canisius on March 25 was postponed due to poor weather. The Bulls then opened the home schedule with a doubleheader sweep of Niagara, 1-0 and 10-2, on March 27. The three-game weekend series with Kent State was reduced to one game on Sunday, with UB dropping a 2-0 decision to the Golden Flashes.
The Bulls are now 9-11 overall and 1-3 in MAC action.
In the opener against Niagara, a one-out single to left field in the fifth inning by junior Breanne Nasti scored freshman Lauren Picciano to break the scoreless tie and give the Bulls a 1-0 lead. That was all the offense they needed, thanks to another dominant pitching performance by sophomore Stacey Evans. Evans struck out 10 batters and allowed just one hit en route to her sixth win of the year.
The Bulls got on the scoreboard early in game two when an RBI-single by junior Allison Round scored junior Marce Ross and the Bulls exploded for eight runs on eight hits in the third inning to break the game open. The eight runs are the most the Bulls have scored in one inning in the Division I era.
On Sunday, Kent State broke the scoreless tie with two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning on an RBI-double by Lea Dorto and an RBI-single by Rachel Testa. KSU pitcher Kate Leary threw her third consecutive shutout, going the distance and allowing just four hits while striking out eight.
Tennis
MEN'S
Ball State 7, UB 0
Northern Illinois 7, UB 0
UB opened a MAC weekend of action with a 7-0 loss Friday night in the Village Glen Tennis Center to Ball State, ranked 51st in the country in the latest ITA rankings. Although the Bulls were swept on the scoreboard, they played respectable tennis against the nationally ranked Cardinals, winning games in every set with the exception of one.
Saturday's inclement weather sent the Bulls indoors again to the Village Glen to host Northern Illinois to complete the weekend. The Bulls dropped a hard-fought match to the Huskies, 7-0. With the weekend losses, the Bulls fall to 11-10 overall and 1-3 in MAC play.
The day didn't turn out to be a total loss for the Bulls, as UB did salvage one doubles victory, but couldn't nail down the number two match to earn the doubles point.
The Bulls will return to action with a match against Toledo on Saturday at the University Tennis Center to complete their MAC schedule.
WOMEN'S
Miami (OH) 6, UB 1
Marshall 7, UB 0
UB dropped a 6-1 decision to Miami University on Friday in MAC action at the Riverside Racquet Club in Hamilton, Ohio, to open a weekend road trip.
UB gained one victory in singles play when Kristen Ortman, playing number two singles, knocked off Grace Casacarilla in a tiebreaker for the lone UB point.
On Saturday, the Bulls fell to defending MAC Tournament champion Marshall, 7-0.
The Bulls, who are now 6-8 overall and 0-4 in league play, will travel to Akron for a match tomorrow with the Zips.
Outdoor track and field
Tracksters post strong results in Raleigh
UB sent a full contingent of athletes to the Raleigh Relays at North Carolina State University and brought back some impressive results from the meet that featured more than 3,000 athletes representing more than 100 teams. There was no team scoring in the meet, one of the largest to be held on the East Coast each year.
Leading UB's teams in the weekend meet was Joe Clark, who finished second among 167 finishers in the 400-meter dash, turning in a clocking of 47.56 seconds, just short of St. Augustine's Wilan Louis, who won the event at 47.29.
On the women's side, junior thrower Faith Thompson broke her own record in the shot put. Thompson qualified for NCAA regional competition with a toss 46-7.25 (14.20m) to finish seventh among 32 placers. The throw was 2 and a half feet better than her previous record which she set last season. She also finished 14th in the hammer throw at 159-1 (48.50m).
UB's women also set a relay record when the 800-meter relay team turned in a 1:40.47 showing to finish 12th of 29 teams and slice more than a second off the old mark.
Christina Keck scored a fourth-place finish in the 800-meters with a 2:10.86 showing. Byron McKinney also finished fourth in the men's shot put at 55-1.50 (16.80m). Keith Gentes took fifth in the hammer throw at 177-1 (53.99m).
After two meets south of the Mason-Dixon Line, the Bulls will return north for this weekend's McDonald's Invitational hosted by MAC rival Ohio University.
Crew
Season opens in Ithaca with pair of wins
UB opened the spring portion of the 2002-03 crew season with some strong racing at a tri-meet against Marist and host Ithaca College on the Cayuga Inlet. Conditions varied for most of the day, with much of the racing being conducted in rainy and windy conditions.
The varsity eight squad rolled to a first-place finish, completing the 2,000-meter sprint course in 7:20.4. UB's second varsity eight team also won its race in 7:15.1 to beat out Ithaca (7:16.1). It was the first time in four years that the Bulls posted two first-place varsity finishes.
The Bulls also sent a pair of novice eight crews into the water, finishing second to Ithaca in both races. The A squad turned in a 7:24.0 showing to Ithaca's 7:14.0, while the B team finished in 7:50.5 to place behind Ithaca's number three varsity team at 7:46.8.
The teams will be back in action on Saturday at Rochester Institute of Technology in a quad-meet that also includes Binghamton and the University of Rochester.