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Bulls Drop Season Finale to Niagara

The Bulls rallied from a 9-1 deficit but fell a run short, dropping a 9-8 decision to Niagara in the season finale on May 9. The loss concludes UB's season at 11-39.

UB's Scott Mruczek (Rochester, NY/Greece-Athena), Mike Flaherty (Spencerport, NY/Spencerport) and Bryan Sanchez (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua Academy) each homered in the game. For Mruczek and Flaherty, the roundtrippers capped off their senior campaigns. Sanchez's blast was his 12th of the season, eclipsing last year's single-season record of 11. A sophomore, Sanchez already holds UB's career home run total with 23.

Eric Huber (Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park) finished the game 4-of-4 with a pair of runs scored and finished the season as UB's single-season hits leader with 69. Sanchez, Mruczek and Kevin Nesteruk (Cheektowaga, NY/West Seneca East) each added two hits for the Bulls. Reliever Mike Leslie (Suffern, NY/Suffern) struck out a career-high eight in the final four innings.

Huber Extends Hit Record

Sophomore Eric Huber became UB's single-season hits leader with his 64th and 65th hits in the Bulls' 4-3 loss to Northern Illinois on May 5. Huber added to his record total in the season finale against Niagara with a 4-for-4 effort, giving him 69 hits for the year. In the contest against Niagara, Huber reached base safely on each of his plate appearances, drawing a walk in the bottom of the eighth. The junior, who sat out last season due to a torn ACL, raised his average to a team-leading .367, the highest since the Bulls returned to Division I baseball last season. He also moved into a seventh-place tie on the Bulls' single-season RBI list with 34 and also shattered the single-season at-bat record at 188, passing Pat Raimondo's 160 set in 1980.

Leslie Fans Career High vs. Eagles

Freshman pitcher Mike Leslie struck out a career-high eight in just four innings against Niagara. Leslie held the Purple Eagles to no runs and just two hits as the Bulls rallied from a 9-3 deficit, closing to 9-8 with Leslie on the hill. The eight punchouts surpassed his previous best of five against Canisius where he registered his first career victory. In his last three appearances of the year, Leslie struck out 17 in 13 innings of work and he finished the season with 36 strikeouts, fourth on the team. His 9.35 strikeouts per nine innings ratio was second on the team behind only freshman Dennis Renders (Camillus, NY/West Genesee) who struck out five in 3.2 innings (12.26 K/9).

Seniors Bow Out

The Bulls said goodbye to their senior class prior to Wednesday's game against Niagara. UB graduates five from its 2001 roster: Kevin Brown (Amherst, NY/Amherst), Mike Flaherty, Rob Golemba (New City, NY/Clarkstown South), Scott Mruczek, and Pete Selden (Holley, NY/Holley). Two others, pitchers Anthony Puccia (Fairport, NY/Fairport) and Jeff Robertson (Kenmore, NY/Kenmore West) were also saluted. Injuries cut short their campaigns forcing medical redshirt seasons for both pitchers.

Team Awards Handed Out

With the conclusion of the season, UB honored four players with team awards. Bryan Sanchez was named the team Most Valuable Player. Eric Huber was selected as the Top Newcomer. Rob Golemba earned the Most Improved Player Award and Kevin Brown received the Coach's Award.

Sanchez became UB's all-time home run leader with a current total of 23 in just two seasons. Sanchez eclipsed his own school single-season mark with his 12th homer of the season in the finale against Niagara on May 9. He also set the single-season RBI record with 46 and presently sits seventh on the all-time list with 79. Sanchez was second to Huber in batting average at .333, hits with 56 and doubles with 11. He also led the Bulls with 103 total bases, 34 walks, three sacrifice flies, a .613 slugging percentage and a .460 on-base percentage.

Huber led the Bulls with a .367 batting average, setting the school record for hits in a single-season at 69, and added a team-high 12 doubles.

Golemba was expected to play a utility role in 2001, but won the starting centerfield position during the team's spring trip to Florida. Golemba hit .278 with 22 RBIs and tied for second on the club with four homers, batting from the leadoff position for much of the second half of the season.