2-11
Rutgers
8-7
Bulls Begin Play At FAU Tournament
3/11/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball
BOCA RATON, FL – The University at Buffalo softball team dropped a pair of games Friday morning at the FAU Tournament, including a tough 3-2 defeat to Big East member Rutgers. The Bulls also lost to Purdue of the Big Ten, 11-1.
The Bulls picked up the early lead in the first game of the morning against the Scarlet Knights, scoring a run in the top of the second. Sophomore Alyssa Ward led off the inning with a single through the left side, advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt from Andi Saucier. Ward then moved to third on the throw, coming in to score on an error by the second baseman.
The Scarlet Knights claimed the lead in the bottom of the third inning with three runs coming on a two-out home run off of freshman pitcher Tori Speckman. The Bulls would pull within one in the top of the fifth as sophomore Ashley Bertot worked out a one-out walk and advanced to second on a stolen base. Bertot would come in to score on a single to center field by junior Kristin Waldron. Waldron would steal second and advance to third with two outs before the rally ended.
Speckman picked up the loss for the Bulls going four innings and allowing just two hits, while striking out three. Junior Holly Johnson came in to pitch the final two innings against her former team, allowing just one hit.
In the second game the Bulls ran into a Purdue team that improved to 12-4 on the season as the Boilermakers scored nine runs over the first three innings, including a four-run third. Purdue picked up another two runs in the fourth before the Bulls finally got on the board in the bottom half of the inning.
With two outs in the inning, Ward doubled to left center, coming around to score on a single up the middle by freshman Sammi Gallardo; however the Bulls would get no closer.
Four pitchers all saw action for the Bulls, including Johnson, who picked up the loss despite pitching to just three batters. Speckman pitched 1.1 innings and allowed three runs, while junior Haylee Land allowed six runs in 2.2 innings pitched. Kate Kraus came in to pitch the final inning, allowing one hit and no runs.
The Bulls continue play at the FAU Tournament tomorrow when they face Michigan State at 11:00 am.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: WILLIAMS, M (4-0)
L: Speckman, Tori (1-5)
Batting:
RBI: Waldron, Kristin 1
SH: Saucier, Andi 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bertot, Ashley 1 ; Ward, Alyssa 1
SB: Bertot, Ashley 3 ; Waldron, Kristin 1
HBP: Bertot, Ashley 1 ; Waldron, Kristin 1 ; Ward, Alyssa 1
Batting:
2B: MESSINA, M 1
HR: CRAIG, M 1
RBI: CRAIG, M 3
Base Running:
RUNS: LINDLEY, B 1 ; CRAIG, M 1 ; CURRAN, L 1
SB: CURRAN, L 1
CS: PROCOPIO, D 1
