14-26, 4-12
Ball State
34-13, 12-3
Late Charge Leads Ball State Past Bulls
4/28/2012 12:00:00 AM | Softball
BUFFALO, NY – The visiting Ball State Cardinals scored six runs over the final two innings as they defeated the University at Buffalo softball team on Saturday afternoon, 9-5.
Buffalo starter Holly Johnson pitched well early on against the MAC's hottest offensive team, as it was UB who got on the scoreboard first. Freshman Alexis Curtiss led off the inning with single down the right field line and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Karly Nevez. Curtiss then came in to score on a single to left field from senior Kristin Waldron.
The Bulls extended their lead to three in the bottom of the second as junior Caitlin Dekker reached base with one out and was then driven in on a long home run from junior Andi Saucier. The Cardinals then scored three in the top of the third inning to tie the game up, but Buffalo regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth.
Sophomore Holly Luciano led off the inning with a home run to left field and Tori Pettine followed that with a bunt single. Pettine moved up to second on a ground out and then to third on an infield single from Saucier to put runners at the corners with two outs. Sophomore Rebecca Griswold came up as a pinch hitter and singled to left field, scoring Pettine, and giving the Bulls a 5-3 lead.
Ball State came back though in the sixth inning, hitting a three run home run to take its first lead of the game at 6-5. The Cardinals added another three runs in the top of the seventh against Tori Speckman, who came on in relief.
Johnson picked up the loss despite allowing just three earned runs and seven strikeouts. Saucier went a perfect 3-for-3 from the plate with two runs batted in. Six other UB batters also recorded hits in the game.
Buffalo and Ball State will be back in action tomorrow at 1:00 pm. Prior to the game Buffalo will be honoring its three-member senior class.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: MAZZAPICA, Kim (21-3)
L: Johnson, Holly (3-12)
Batting:
2B: STUEDEMANN, Hanne 1 ; MONTALTO, Amanda 1
3B: GILBERT, Jennifer 1
HR: GILBERT, Jennifer 1 ; SCHROEDER, Lauren 1
RBI: STUEDEMANN, Hanne 1 ; GILBERT, Jennifer 3 ; MONTALTO, Amanda 1 ; SCHROEDER, Lauren 3
Base Running:
RUNS: ZIMMERMAN, Hannah 1 ; GILBERT, Jennifer 2 ; MONTALTO, Amanda 1 ; CORTEZ, Julie 1 ; SMITH, Haley 1 ; MERCADO, Alison 1 ; SCHROEDER, Lauren 1 ; ROBERTSON, Sadie 1
CS: CARPENTER, Amanda 1
HBP: STUEDEMANN, Hanne 1
Batting:
HR: Luciano, Holly 1 ; Saucier, Andi 1
RBI: Waldron, Kristin 1 ; Luciano, Holly 1 ; Saucier, Andi 2 ; Griswold, Rebecca 1
SH: Nevez, Karly 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Curtiss, Alexis 1 ; Luciano, Holly 1 ; Pettine, Tori 1 ; Dekker, Caitlin 1 ; Saucier, Andi 1
HBP: Dekker, Caitlin 1
