Softball Uses Late-Inning Heroics in SUNYAC Sweep; 31-Year Old School Track and Field Record Falls in Pole Vault; Lacrosse Runs Into Roadblocks



SOFTBALL (18-10/12-4 SUNYAC) - Benglas Use Late-Inning Heroics in SUNYAC Sweep



Buffalo State extended its SUNYAC winning-streak to eight games, going 6-0 this past week, including a pair of sweeps of fellow playoff competitors Fredonia and Plattsburgh.



The Bengals hosted Fredonia on Wednesday. The Blue Devils led off the game with a homerun, and led 1-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning in the first game. After posting just two hits in the first five innings, Buffalo State exploded for three runs on five hits and held on in the seventh for a 3-1 win. Liz Beiter (N. Tonawanda/N. Tonawanda) regrouped after allowing the early homer to surrender just two more hits the rest of the game to earn her seventh win of the season. Nadine Sirianni (Niagara Falls/Niagara Falls) and Tiffany Ciolek (Great Valley/Salamanca) each went 2-for-3 with an RBI and Alicia Girard (Glens Falls/Glens Falls) was 1-for-3 with an RBI. In the nightcap, Buffalo State jumped all over Fredonia early and often, pounding the Blue Devils 12-0 in five innings. Tracy Urban (Lancaster/Lancaster) scattered five

hits for the shutout win. Liz Parker (Hamburg/Hamburg) went 3-for-3 with three runs scored, and Nicole Willats (Tonawanda/Sweet Home) was 3-for-4 with four RBI. Heidi Rammacher (Angola/Lakeshore) also had four RBI with a pair of doubles, and Alyssa Brosius (N. Tonawanda/N. Tonawanda) was 2-for-2 with two RBI.



On Friday at Plattsburgh, the Bengals fell behind early again, and trailed 2-0 entering the sixth inning of game-one, before rallying for 11 runs in the final two innings to cruise to an 11-4 win. Rammacher and Kim Nogle (Tonawanda/Tonawanda) were each 2-for-4 with two RBI and Brosius was 3-for-3. Sirianni also had a double and a pair of RBI. In the nightcap, Buffalo State followed a similar recipe for success, trailing 6-1 through five innings, before scoring 10 runs in the bottom of the sixth for an 11-6 win. Melissa Balsavage (Depew/Depew) earned the win in 3 and one-third innings of scoreless relief. Stephanie Menth (Tonawanda/Tonawanda) led the Bengals going 3-for-4 with a homerun and a double. Willats was 2-for-3 with a triple and Sirianni had two hits including a double and three RBI.



Buffalo State traveled to Potsdam on Saturday and dominated the Bears in game-one. The Bengals scored a season-high 18 runs in the opening game, claiming an 18-1 victory in five innings. Urban recorded the win allowing four hits. Menth, Willats, Sirianni, Rammacher, and Ciolek all

had three hits and Menth and Sirianni each added four RBI. Rammacher posted a pair of triples. Buffalo State fell behind 1-0 in the second game, but came back to win 9-1 in six innings. Balsavage allowed just four hits for the win on the mound. Willats, Brosius and Ciolek each had a pair of

hits for the Bengals and Melissa Haacker (Endicott/Seton Catholic) had a three RBI triple in the fifth inning.



The Bengals improved to 18-10 overall and went a long way in securing a playoff spot as they climbed to 12-4 in SUNYAC play.



Who's Next?



Buffalo State will travel to Brockport on Wednesday and host Cortland on Friday to complete the 2002 conference schedule. The Bengals will play at Ithaca on Saturday in a non-conference match-up.



Coming Home?



During Buffalo State's current eight-game winning streak, Bengal base-runners have crossed home plate an astonishing 87 times, for an average of 10.9 times-per-game.



TRACK & FIELD - 31-Year Old School Record Falls in Pole Vault



The Track and Field teams traveled to Slippery Rock University to take part in a non-scoring meet to get one last tune-up under their belts before competing in the SUNYACaron Masters (Grand Island/Grand Island) broke a 31-year old school record in the Pole Vault competition, vaulting himself for an astounding 14'00". The record jump was good enough for eighth place in the event. The sprinters once again dominated the day for Buffalo State. Markus Allen (Commack/St. John's the Baptist) led the way for the Bengals by placing first in the 100m

Dash with a season's best time of 10.82. That split earned Allen a provisional qualifying spot for the Division III National Championships. Allen established another season's best time with his fourth place finish in the 200m Dash (22.25). Allen was also a member of the 4 x 100m Relay squad that took second place with a time of 42.79. Joining Allen on the squad were Eugene Overton (Syracuse/Corcoran), John Lesure (Rochester/Greece-Athena), and Aaron Kinard (Queens/Springfield Gardens).



In other events, Joe Niezgoda (Alden/Alden) earned a fourth place finish with his time of 10:05.63 in the Steeple Chase. Luis Espinosa (Medina/Medina) continued his remarkable rookie season by earning fifth place in the Shot Put with his best effort of the season (46'08").



In all the team set 19 season's best records and appears to be peaking at the perfect time for the SUNYAC Championships.



What's Next?



Buffalo State will use this week to prepare for the SUNYAC Track and Field Championships that will be held at Oneonta this weekend.



LACROSSE (3-9/1-6 SUNYAC) - Bengals Run Into Roadblocks



After establishing a school record for wins in a season, Buffalo State took to the road, but came up short falling in a pair of road games.



Buffalo State traveled to Fredonia on Tuesday to square off against the Blue Devils. The Bengals entered the game confident but the Bengal hopes for an upset were squashed as Fredonia jumped out to an 8-3 first half lead en route to a 14-6 final. Senior Kathleen Plis (Auburn/Auburn) continued her torrid scoring pace, netting five goals in the game. Also scoring for Buffalo State was Stefanie Hineman (Lancaster/Lancaster), as she tallied her 14th goal of the year.



Buffalo State next journeyed to New Paltz, but the game was postponed due to inclement weather. No make-up date has been scheduled as of yet.



The Bengals were able to play the second game of the weekend road trip on Saturday as the team squared off against Oneonta. The Oneonta Red Dragons, ranked third in the conference, torched the Bengals for seven first half goals and allowed only one by Buffalo State. The Red

Dragons went on to beat Buffalo State by a score of 16-2. Leah Delormier (Rooseveltown/Salmon River) contributed with a gritty performance in net, stopping 17 shots. Delormier has made 131 saves so far this season. Hineman and Plis each scored one goal a piece for the Bengals.



Who's Next?



The Bengals look to end their season on a positive note as the final two games will be played at home on Coyer Field. The Bengals play the Division I Niagara University on Tuesday and then will face Hilbert on Wednesday.



Gunning For One More Record...



Kathleen Plis (Auburn/Auburn) has recorded 21 goals this season and needs just 11 more to break the school record she set last year at 31 goals in a season.



Senior Day...



Wednesday, Buffalo State will honor its senior players before the final home game of their careers. Players being honored on Senior Day will be Kathleen Plis (Auburn/Auburn), Leah Delormier (Rooseveltown/Salmon River), Danielle DeJames (West Seneca/Frontier), and Karly

Thomsen (Ontario/Wayne Central).