Published: April 29, 2007 10:45 pm      

COLLEGE ROUNDUP: UB women’s tennis falls in MAC final (April 29)

For the second year in a row, Western Michigan thwarted the Buffalo women’s tennis team’s quest for a Mid-American Conference championship.

After rolling through their first two opponents in the tournament, the second-seeded Bulls fell to the top-seeded Broncos, 4-1. Western Michigan, last year’s MAC champion, was the only team to beat UB in the MAC regular season.

Katrin Fischer earned UB’s lone point, beating Emily Dudzik at No. 6 singles. Fischer also beat Dudzik in the regular season. Fischer, a senior, ends her career on a ten-match winning streak.

Fischer and fellow senior Natalie Dean were named to the MAC’s all-tournament team.

Western Michigan (22-6) won each of the top three singles matches in straight sets. The Bulls finished 17-3, setting a school record for victories in a season.



SOFTBALL



Niagara 7, 7

Siena 10, 0

Heather Lohrman went 3-for-5 on the day while Kristin Kill and Lisa Baker each went 3-for-6 as the Purple Eagles split a doubleheader with visiting Siena.

Niagara (15-17 overall, 7-5 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) gave up five runs in the second inning en route to a 10-7 loss in the opener. Brooke Viola took the loss on the mound. Melissa Markle and Nicole Sum hit home runs for Niagara.

In the nightcap, Tiffany McCrory picked up her fourth shutout of the season, giving up six hits and striking out five batters in seven innings. Tory Healy hit a home run.

The Purple Eagles return to action Tuesday, hosting Buffalo at 3 p.m.



ECC 10, 9

NCCC 9, 8

Erin Whitehead (Kenmore East) pitched a complete game with six strikeouts, but it wasn’t enough as the visiting Niagara County Community College softball team dropped both ends of a doubleheader Sunday against Erie Community College..

Lisa Batt (Starpoint), Katie Foels (Tonawanda) and Jessica Farr (Roy-Hart) had NCCC’s only hits in the opener.

In the nightcap, Foels had two hits and two runs scored for the Trailblazers (7-9), while Farr and Lizzy Taibi (Lew-Port) also added two hits each.



Kent State 10, 5

Buffalo 0,1

Kent State freshman pitcher Kylie Reynolds no-hit UB in the first game. The Bulls’ lone senior, Colleen Greene, hit a home run in the second game, her final game at UB’s Nan Harvey Field.

UB fell 3-41 on the season and 1-13 in Mid-American Conference play.



BASEBALL



UB falls to Akron

The host University at Buffalo baseball team took Akron into extra innings, but couldn’t complete their first series sweep of the season, falling 8-4 in 11 innings in a Mid-American Conference contest Sunday afternoon.

Nick Walczak (Kenmore East) had an RBI single to score UB’s first run of the afternoon. Bobby Pizzuto added an RBI double for the Bulls.

Steve Geltz (Wilson) took the loss in relief for UB (10-27 overall, 8-10 MAC), pitching a season-high four innings.

Scott Gunn had a solo homer for Akron (19-15, 5-10).

UB takes on Niagara at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Sal Maglie Stadium.



NU drops 10th straight

The Niagara University baseball team’s losing streak hit 10 Sunday as the Purple Eagles were swept in a doubleheader by host St. Peter’s in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play by scores of 5-1 and 11-10.

In the opener, the Purple Eagles were held to four hits. Tim Alberts plated Andrew Macdonald in the third inning, but that would be the only run NU could muster.

In the nightcap, NU took a 9-2 lead into the sixth inning, but allowed nine runs in the sixth and seventh innings. Alberts, Brian Clifford, Harrison Harber and Jason Cramer each had two RBIs for the Purple Eagles (12-23, 2-13 MAAC).

St. Peter’s improved to 20-21 overall and 10-7 in MAAC play.



GOLF

Purple Eagles place third

The Niagara men’s golf team ended its season with its best-ever finish under coach Kevin Miller, placing third at the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championships on Sunday.

Senior Chris Hart carded a 76 in the final round to finish with a 5-over-par 221, leaving him in fourth place. Junior Mike Jarvis had a 77 Sunday for NU, giving him a 226 for the three-day tournament, good for 10th.

Additionally, Hart and Jarvis, along with sophomore Don Bryson, were named to the MAAC All-Academic team.