Quick hits: Baseball and softball and both tennis team’s begin conference play

Baseball (6-14, 2-4 Mid-American Conference)

The Bulls lost two of three games against Ball State (18-8, 5-1 MAC), one of the best team’s in the conference, this weekend at Ball Diamond in Muncie, Indiana. Buffalo split the doubleheader on Saturday, when it lost the first game, 6-4, and won, 14-1, later in the day. Buffalo ended Saturday with a 10-run ninth inning.

Junior outfielder Nick Sinay went 4 for 7 with two stolen bases in the two games. He currently leads the MAC with a .500 on-base percentage and 15 stolen bases. Sophomore outfielder Vinny Mallaro hit a two-run home run in the win.

On Sunday, the Bulls fell 16-8 to end the series. Buffalo travels to St. Bonaventure (10-5-1, 0-3 A10) Wednesday to play a doubleheader against its Big-Four rival at 2 p.m. Buffalo’s weekend home doubleheader against Ohio (14-11, 2-4 MAC) will be moved to Kelly Automotive Park in Butler, Pennsylvania. First pitch is set for Saturday at 4 p.m., followed by a doubleheader Sunday starting at noon.

Softball (7-22, 0-2 MAC)

Buffalo dropped its first two conference games at Kent State (21-6, 2-0 MAC) Sunday in Kent, Ohio. Senior catcher/infielder Alexis Curtiss went 3 for 4 in the second game with two doubles but failed to record a hit in the first game. The team struck out 22 times over the two games, including 14 times in the first game.

Buffalo’s scheduled doubleheader against Binghamton (9-9) Wednesday has been canceled. The Bulls travel to Miami Ohio (18-11, 2-0 MAC) and Ball State (14-16, 2-0 MAC) this weekend. Friday’s doubleheader against Miami Ohio is set for 1 p.m. Buffalo plays Ball State at 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.

Men’s tennis (8-7)

The Bulls fell to No. 33 Harvard (13-5) Saturday at the Murr Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Junior Pablo Alvarez had the only victory of the day for Buffalo, defeating Harvard’s Sebastian Beltrame in two sets. Buffalo begins conference play this week when it travels to Binghamton (2-14, 0-2 MAC) Wednesday.

Women’s tennis (6-8, 2-2 MAC)

Buffalo hosted Bowling Green (0-13, 0-4 MAC) Sunday at the Miller Tennis Center and won 7-0. It was the team’s second shutout of the season and first in MAC competition.

Freshman Tanja Stojanovska won both matches she participated in. In her first match on Sunday, she won, 6-1, in a doubles match with freshman Christine Haraldson. Later in the day, Stojanovska defeated Bowling Green’s Megan Miller 7-5, 6-2 in first singles.

The Bulls travel to Ball State (10-4, 0-2 MAC) Friday to take on the Cardinals at 1 p.m.

Men’s basketball

The Associated Press announced junior forward Justin Moss as an All-America honorable mention on Monday. Moss is the fourth Bull since 2005 to secure All-America honors, joining alumni Turner Battle (2005), Mitchell Watt (2012), and Javon McCrea (2014). All four players won the MAC Player of the Year in the same season as their selection.

Bobby McIntosh is an assistant sports editor and can be reached at sports@ubspectrum.com