By Greg Bauerlein

The weather wasn’t the only thing hot in Florida as the Buffalo State College softball finished off its spring training trip to Fort Myers, with a 7-3 record. The Bengals turned around a trip that saw them go 2-2 in their first four games, with a 5-1 finish, defeating some stiff competition.

“We found out a lot, that we’re competitive and wouldn’t give up,” said head coach Sandra Hollander. “We came from behind a couple times and we kept every game close. Our biggest loss was by two runs.”

The Bengals look to keep the strong start going with the help of three returning pitchers from last year’s team. Senior Tracy Urban, Junior Elizabeth Beiter and Sophomore Melissa Balsavage return and look to use their experience to lead them into the SUNYAC championships.

The Bengals infield remains intact for this season with four out of five starters returning for the 2003 campaign. A pair of freshmen will be behind the plate, as Lindsey Matheis will start while Rita Corsi will most likely back her up.

The middle of the diamond will be rounded out with Tiffany Ciolek at shortstop, who leads the team in home runs with three and RBIs with 11 Nicole Willats, an All-SUNYAC selection last year, who will start at second base. At third base, Junior Alicia Girard and Freshmen Brooke Matheis will battle for time. Matheis was second on the team in hits after Florida with 13, and batted .321

Along with Matheis, newcomer Janelle Mahl, a junior transfer, played a key role offensively in Florida batting .371 with nine runs batted in and will start in centerfield. Three-time All-SUNYAC selection Stephanie Menth will start for her fourth straight season in leftfield, while Heidi Rammacher will start in right after earning all-SUNYAC honors as a designated player last season.

The Bengals hot start has caused some excitement about the team, the last time had this good of a start was in 1996 when they went on to win the SUNYAC championships.

“Our goals are to make SUNYAC’s first of all,” said Menth. “Then we look to get to the Northeast Regional, and then hopefully make it to the World Series.”

Buffalo State opened up their season against Penn-State Behrend last week, with the Bengals winning their first game on the new softball field 12-8 but falling 6-3 in the second game of the doubleheader.

Conference play will open up against Geneseo 4/1, a team to which the Bengals look to break a little losing streak against. The Knights owned the Bengals last year going 3-0 against them and ending the Bengals season in the SUNYAC championships.

Links

-PhotoReflect.com

-Buffalo State Athletics - Softball

-SUNYAC Home Page