Sofball's Offense Sputters and Then Explodes for 4-2 Week; Bengals Claim Five Events at Season Opening Track and Field Meet; Lacrosse Searching for First Win



SOFTBALL (8-8/4-2 SUNYAC) - Bengals Offense Sputters and Then Explodes for 4-2 Week



Buffalo State opened SUNYAC play on Monday with a pair of shutout losses at Geneseo, but exploded for 29 runs in four wins on the weekend.



In game one on Monday, the Bengals mustered just five hits and committed five errors as they fell to Geneseo 3-0. Tracy Urban (Lancaster/Lancaster) took the loss on the mound, despite surrendering just six hits and one earned run, and recording four strikeouts. Alyssa Brosius (N. Tonawanda/N. Tonawanda) was the only Bengal to tally multiple hits as she went 2-for-3 with the stick. In the nightcap, Geneseo scored a run in the top of the first inning and made it stand for the 1-0 win. Liz Beiter (N. Tonawanda/N. Tonawanda) scattered six hits and recorded three strikeouts in the loss. Buffalo State recorded five hits including doubles by Brosius, Stephanie Menth (Tonawanda/Tonawanda), Heidi Rammacher (Angola/Lakeshore) and Alicia Girard (Glens Falls/Glens Falls), but could not plate a run. It was Buffalo State's first error-free game this season.



Buffalo State wasted little time getting in the win column on Satuday, when it defeated Utica/Rome in the first game, 8-0 in five innings. The game took just under an hour to play. Menth led the way with a pair of triples, and Tiffany Ciolek (Great Valley/Salamanca) was also 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Urban recorded her second shutout of the season, allowing just one hit and fanning three. The Wildcats proved to be a greater test in game two as they led 2-0 after four innings. The game was tied at 3-3 heading into the seventh inning, before Buffalo State plated four runs to ensure the 7-3 win. Ciolek was 2-for-4 with two triples and three RBI, and Menth, Melissa Haacker(Endicott/Seton Catholic) and Brosius were all 2-for-3. Beiter recorded the win, allowing four hits and one run in three innings of relief.



The Bengals followed a similar recipe on Sunday against Oswego. Buffalo State needed just five innings to claim the first game 11-0, and then won the second contest 3-1. Beiter took her turn recording the shutout in game-one allowing just three hits and striking out six. Ciolek was 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles and five RBI, and Nadine Sirianni (Niagara Falls/Niagara Falls) also went 2-for-2 with a double and four RBI. Menth was 3-for-3 with three runs scored and Rammacher went 2-for-3. In the second game, Urban recorded her fourth win of the season, scattering six Oswego hits. Sirianni was the lone Bengal with multiple hits, going 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI and a run scored.



Buffalo State improved his record to .500 for the first time this season at 8-8 and is 4-2 to open SUNYAC play.



Who's Next?



Buffalo State will continue its home-stand on Tuesday when it hosts SUNYAC-foe Fredonia at 3 and 5 p.m. The Bengals will travel to RIT on Wednesday to make-up games originally scheduled for March 3rd, before returning home for SUNYAC games on Friday and Saturday against Oneonta and New Paltz respectively.



Grounds Crew - 1; Mother Nature - 0?



With the entire 20-game SUNYAC softball schedule jammed into the month of April, there is little time for postponements. So, when Buffalo was hit with three inches of snow on Friday night into Saturday morning Buffalo State's facilities and grounds crew was called to action at 7 a.m. to prepare the field for Saturday's double-header against Utica/Rome. After shoveling the tarp and plowing the outfield, bags and bags of "quick dry" and tons of clay were raked into the infield. The result was a 3 p.m. start, rather than the scheduled 1 p.m. first pitch, but despite the snow, the Bengals' home opener is in the books" through 16 games. Stephanie Menth (Tonawanda/Tonawanda) leads the team with a .415 batting average, while Tiffany Ciolek (Great Valley/Salamanca) and Heidi Rammacher (Angola/Lakeshore) are close behind, hitting .408 and .407 respectively.



Triple-take?



Through 16 games this season, Buffalo State has hit eight triples. By comparison, the Bengals recorded just seven three-baggers in all 38 games in 2001. Tiffany Ciolek (Great Valley/Salamanca) leads Buffalo State in this category with three.



TRACK & FIELD - Bengals Claim Five Events at Season Opening Meet



After a long lay-off following indoor season, Buffalo State's Track and Field teams braved the weather and competed at the Ithaca Invitational for the year's first outdoor meet. Although it was a non-scoring competition, Buffalo State athletes posted several impressive results.



The Bengal sprinters continued their domination of the track as the Buffalo State men claimed four of the top five spots in the 100meter dash. Markus Allen (Commack/St. John's the Baptist) seized first place (11.00) and Eugene Overton (Syracuse/Corcoran) earned second place with

his time of 11.10. Aaron Kinard (Queens/Springfield Gardens) and Bill Edwards (Buffalo/McKinley) tied for fourth place (11.20). In other track events, Kinard broke through with a first-place finish in the 200m dash (22.80). Dan Conti (West Seneca/Maryvale) finished third in the 400m

run with a split of 52.90.



The men also placed second in the 4x100m relay with a final time of 43.90 and first in the 4x400m relay (3:36.80). Chris Lape (Millbrook/Millbrook), Joe Niezgoda (Alden/Alden), Curtis Bachek (Bayport/Bayport-Blue Point), and Conti comprised the winning 4x400m team. The second-place 4x100m squad consisted of Allen, Edwards, Conti, and Jonathon Kaier.



In field events, John Lesure (Rochester/Greece-Athena) continued his remarkable rookie season by capturing two first-place finishes. Lesure won the long jump (6.05m) and triple jump (12.44m) competitions. Mike Taylor (Cheektowaga/Maryvale) vaulted to a third place finish in the triple jump (12.00m). Bachek returned to outdoor competition after a year off with a second place finish in the pole vault competition (3.66m).



In women's events, Yolande Francis (Buffalo Riverside) contributed with astounding performances in the javelin toss and the high jump. Francis placed second in the javelin, throwing a distance of 31.46m and third in the high jump with a height of 1.47m. Nicole Rowland

(Brooklyn/Stephen Austin) scored a second place finish with her mark of 10.16m in the triple jump. Autumn Hensel (Akron/Akron) breezed to a second place finish in the 400m race with a split of 1:02.70.



Who's Next?



The Track and Field teams will travel to Rochester for the University of Rochester Alumni Invitational this Saturday.



LACROSSE (0-6/0-3 SUNYAC) - Bengals Searching for First Win



Buffalo State fell to the three of the SUNYAC's top teams, in Geneseo, Cortland, and Oswego, as the team struggled through its toughest stretch of the season.



The Bengals opened their conference schedule on Tuesday by losing to Geneseo 16-0 at Coyer Field. The Knights trumped the Bengals from the start of the game and controlled the action for most of the contest. The Bengals' offense managed only three shots the entire day, while Geneseo peppered senior goaltender, Leah Delormier (Rooseveltown/Salmon River) with a bevy of shots. Delormier made a total of nine saves on 22 shots and rookie goaltender, Laticia McNaughton (Sanborn/Niagara Wheatfield) made her collegiate debut in relief effort. McNaughton

allowed only three goals in her first appearance in between the pipes.



The Bengals then traveled to Cortland to face the sixth-ranked team in the nation. The Red Dragons scored a total of 31 for the match.

Delormier stopped 21 of Cortland's 52 shots on goal for the afternoon. The Bengals suffered the worst defeat of the season, by a final score of 31-0.



Buffalo State had to regroup immediately for the next day's contest against the number-two team in the SUNYAC, Oswego. Buffalo State broke its scoreless streak as freshman Bree Cote (Copperton, UT/Copperton Hills) scored the lone Buffalo State goal in the 17-1 loss. The loss dropped the Bengals to 0-6 on the season and 0-3 in SUNYAC play.



Who's Next?



The Bengals have four consecutive home games starting on Tuesday, as the Brockport Golden Eagles come to Coyer Field for a 4 p.m. contest. Other home games scheduled for the upcoming week are Medaille on Wednesday at 4 p.m. and Potsdam and Cazenovia on Friday at 4 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. respectively.



Do these names sound familiar?



If the some of the players' names mentioned sound familiar, it might be because you have heard them mentioned with other sports. Of the 15 players on the lacrosse roster, five compete or have competed in multiple varsity sports. Nikole Flannery (Tonawanda/Tonawanda) and Andrea Floriano (Tonawanda/Kenmore East) played varsity soccer in the fall. Also, Leah Delormier (Rooseveltown/Salmon River), Meri Mooers (Boxford, MA/Pingree), and Bree Cote (Copperton, UT/Copperton Hills) were all members of Buffalo State's hockey program.