Bulls Split Doubleheader

The Bulls split a doubleheader with Mt. St. Mary's this past weekend. UB dropped the first game 6-1 and bounced back to take the second game 8-4.

In the opener, UB scored the first run on an RBI single by Rick Mariano (Williamsville, NY/St. Joe's). Mt. St. Mary's would come back to score solo runs in the second and third innings to take the lead and sealed the game with a run in the fifth and three in the sixth. Tom Januchowski (Depew, NY/Lancaster) took the loss and fell to 1-3 on the year.

The Bulls bounced back and won the nightcap 8-4 as Anthony Puccia (Penfield, NY/Penfield) picked up his first win of the season and is now 1-2 on the year. Puccia went 5.0 innings, giving up four runs on five hits and struck out five. Jeff Robertson (Kenmore, NY/Kenmore West) came on to pitch the last two innings and pick up his second save of the season.

Mariano was the hitting star again, going 2-for-3 with one run and two RBIs. UB scored single runs in the first, third and fourth innings, and led 3-2 going into the sixth when the Bulls scored four runs. Kevin Brown (Amherst, NY/Amherst Central) knocked in one run and Brandon DiCesare (Rochester, NY/McQuaid Jesuit) had a sacrifice fly to score another run in the inning.

Dunn Tire Park, Home to Buffalo Baseball

Dunn Tire Park, home of the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, will also be the home field this season for the Buffalo Bulls baseball team. UB will play 12 of their 18 home games at Dunn Tire Park. The first home game will be a doubleheader on April 4, against Pittsburgh beginning at 1 pm. Four games against Niagara and LeMoyne will be played at Audubon Field and one doubleheader series against Albany (March 15) will be played at Frontier Field in Rochester, NY, home of the Tiple-A Rochester Red Wings.

Back in Buffalo

The Bulls will make their first appearance in Buffalo, although it will not be a home game. UB will play at Canisius on March 22, at 1 pm, playing their first game in front of hometown fans after opening with their first 13 games on the road.

The Bulls' home opener will be April 4, against Pittsburgh, at Dunn Tire Park

At the Plate

Freshman Rick Mariano leads the Bulls at the plate, hitting .333 (9-for-27) from the plate. Kevin Brown leads the team in overall hits with 14, and is hitting .298 on the year. He also leads the team with 20 RBIs. Charlie Smilinich (Tonawanda, NY/Tonawanda) has a team-high four doubles and is one of four Bulls players with a triple. Bryan Sanchez (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua Academy) leads the team in homers with two.

Taste of the MAC

The Bulls will get a taste of the Mid-American Conference this coming weekend when they travel to face defending MAC Champions Bowling Green. UB will play three games against the Falcons over the weekend. Last year, Bowling Green won the MAC Championship and earned a spot in the NCAA Regionals.

UB is playing this season as an NCAA Division I independent and will compete in the Mid-American Conference next season.