This article is from the archives of the UB Reporter.
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Sports Recap

Published: April 26, 2007

Athletes of the Week

Rick Oliveri of the baseball team hit .600 (6-of-10) in UB's three-game series at Ohio as the Bulls took two of three from the Bobcats.

The Varsity Eight boat of the women's rowing team won the Harvey Cup for the second straight year with their victory over Eastern Michigan, defeating the Eagles by 13 seconds.

Baseball

UB 7, Ohio 4
Ohio 14, UB 9
UB 13, Ohio 10

UB took two of three games against Ohio University last weekend to win back-to-back conference series for the first time since joining the MAC. UB had won its series against Western Michigan April 13 and 14.

UB won the first game against the Bobcats, 7-4, on Friday evening to open the series.

The Bulls got on the board in the top of the first inning and never looked back. After scoring another run in the fourth inning, UB broke the game wide open in the sixth, scoring three runs in the frame.

Ohio scored three runs in the eighth to pull within two. The Bulls added two runs in the top of the ninth, but Ohio did not go down quietly, scoring a run with a two-out triple in the ninth inning to record its fourth run on night. Sophomore Steve Geltz, who had beem named the MAC East Pitcher the previous week, struck out the next batter to seal the win for the Bulls and pick up his second save of the year.

On Saturday, UB was able to overcome deficits of five and four runs, but ultimately fell to the Bobcats, 14-9.

The Bulls then defeated Ohio, 13-10, in the rubber game Sunday afternoon to win their second straight MAC series. The victory improves UB's record to 7-25 and 6-9 in MAC play. The Bulls have now won four of their last six contests.

Softball

Northern Illinois 9, UB 4; Northern Illinois 10, UB 1
Western Michigan 9, UB 4 (8); Western Michigan 9, UB 2

UB hosted a solid Northern Illinois squad on Friday afternoon and lost both games of a MAC doubleheader. The Bulls were upended 9-4 in the opening game and fell 10-1 in the nightcap.

In the opener, Buffalo gave up two runs in the top of the first, but struck back, putting one on the board in the bottom of the second when freshman pitcher Sharon Barr hit her second home run of the season, a leadoff shot over the left-center fence.

After a scoreless third, the Huskies exploded for a five-run fourth to take a 7-1 lead, but UB fought back, plating a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth.

After holding the Huskies in the top of the fifth, Buffalo scored another run in the bottom half of the inning. But that was as close as the Bulls would get, as Northern Illinois chalked up two runs in the top of the seventh to set the final score at 9-4.

In the second game of the day, NIU raced out to a quick lead, scoring six runs in the first two innings. The Bulls scored one in the bottom of the third, but a four-run top of the sixth by Northern Illinois pushed the Huskies ahead by nine and a scoreless bottom half from Buffalo allowed NIU to take the 10-1 win after six.

On Saturday, the Bulls opened a two-game series against Western Michigan with a 9-4 loss to the Broncos in eight innings.

After two scoreless innings, the Bulls got their offense in motion in the bottom of the third inning, exploding for four runs with two outs.

The Broncos closed in on the Bulls' lead, scoring three times in the top of the fourth on a three-run homer that sailed deep over the right-center fence. Western Michigan then tied the game in the top of the sixth.

With neither team scoring in the seventh, the game went into extra innings and the Broncos were able to seal the deal with a five-run eighth to capture the final 9-4 win.

On Sunday, UB lost to the Broncos, 9-2, on a gorgeous afternoon.

The Broncos took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first and extended that advantage by six, plating five runs in the top of the second, thanks in part to a grand slam.

The Bulls closed in on WMU, scoring two in the bottom of the second. After neither team scored in the third or fourth, Western Michigan tallied another run in the top of the fifth to extend its lead to five. Two more in the top of the sixth gave WMU a 9-2 advantage.

Tennis

MEN'S

Toledo 5, UB 2

UB finished the regular season Sunday afternoon with a marathon match lasting more than five hours, but eventually fell to Toledo, 5-2, at Toledo's Varsity Courts. The Bulls ended the regular season with an 8-12 mark and 2-3 in MAC play, giving them the fourth seed for the MAC Championships, which begin today in Fort Wayne, Ind.

UB will face Northern Illinois in one of two first-round matches. If the Bulls get past the Huskies, who they defeated on April 14, they would meet regular-season champion Western Michigan in the semifinals.

WOMEN'S

UB 6, Northern Illinois 1

UB scored a 6-1 victory over visiting Northern Illinois on Friday afternoon at the University Tennis Club to clinch the second seed in this week's MAC Championships. The Bulls finish the regular season with a 15-2 overall record and improved to 7-1 in league play.

The Bulls scored the doubles point with a sweep of the three matches and then took five of the six singles matches to seal the win.

Outdoor Track and Field

Squads claim UB Open titles

UB rolled to easy victories Saturday afternoon at the UB Open in UB Stadium. The UB men scored 312.50 points to place first among eight squads, while the UB women compiled 267 points in a seven-team field.

Both teams won 14 of the 19 events. Sprinters Ezekiel Porter and Stacy Downer won two individual events each and were on both winning relay teams for a total of four first-place finishes by each on the day. Women's thrower Sarah Vance won three individual events.

Porter took the top spot in the men's 100-meter dash and the 200-meter dash. He ran the opening leg of the winning 4x100-meter relay that also included Reggie Rucker, James Graber and Roy Richards. Porter anchored the winning 4x400-meter relay team with Todd Joki, John Connors and Paul Riley to a season-best finish of 3:21.39.

Downer also won both sprint events,. She ran the opening leg of the winning 4x400-meter relay, handing the baton to Allison Grimes, Leah Grasmeyer and Liz Anderson. She also ran the second leg of the 4x100-meter relay, which posted a season-best time of 48.22. Joining Downer in the foursome were Dana Ventrone, Kimarie Black and Octavia Johnston.

Vance scored season-best marks in all three of her weight-throw victories. In the hammer throw, she improved her NCAA East Regional qualifying mark with a toss of 55.20m. In the shot put, she also improved on her regional mark with a throw of 15.41m. Vance finished the day with her third win, in the discus, with a season-best toss of 45.89m.

Rucker was a double winner for the men's team, sweeping the hurdle events. Rayshon Higgins won the long jump and the triple jump. Alex Stamatakis took the men's hammer throw, Jake Madonia won the shot put, P.J. Godios took the javelin and Sean Becker won the pole vault.

Seven UB women scored individual victories on Saturday. They were Leah Grasmeyer, 400-meter hurdles; Mary Veith, 800-meters; Fatimah Hill, long jump; Kimarie Black, triple jump; Vanessa Roelofsen, javelin; Caitlin Godin, high jump; and Carrie Hinners, pole vault.

Crew

Varsity eight takes Harvey Cup

UB captured its second Harvey Cup title Friday afternoon when it defeated Eastern Michigan in a double meet held at Syracuse University that also included Connecticut and Colgate. Both UB and EMU's varsity eight squads competed for the annual Harvey Cup title, while Colgate claimed top prize by winning six of its seven races.