3-11
UC Riverside
8-13
Bulls Fall In Doubleheader At UC-Riverside
3/10/2013 12:00:00 AM | Softball
RIVERSIDE, CA – The University at Buffalo softball team concluded play at the Mizuno Invitational on Sunday afternoon by dropping a pair of games to the host UC-Riverside. The Bulls fell in the first contest 5-1 and then lost a late lead in the second, losing 4-3.
The Highlanders got out to the 5-0 lead in the opener as freshman Dani Cowan allowed all five runs and seven hits in just 2.1 innings pitched. Junior Tori Speckman came on in relief and pitched a one-hitter over the final 3.2 innings.
Buffalo avoided the shutout in the top of the seventh as sophomore Karly Nevez reached base on a one-out single and advanced to second on a wild pitch. She came in to score on a single to right center by classmate Alexis Curtiss.
Senior Alyssa Ward has continued to come on offensively as of late and went 3-for-4 from the plate in the opener. She had three of UB's five hits on the afternoon and had all of the team's hits until the final inning.
The Bulls got off to a quick start in game two as junior Sammi Gallardo hit a one-out home run to left field in the first inning. UC-Riverside scored runs in the second and third to take a 2-1 lead, but Buffalo responded with two in the top of the fourth.
Senior Jessica Griffin hit a two-out double to left center field, which ended up scoring senior Andi Saucier after an error from the left fielder, moving Griffin to third. Griffin came in to score on the next play as freshman Ryleigh Fitzgerald singled to left field. The two runs gave Buffalo a 3-2 advantage, but they were unable to hold on to the lead.
The Highlanders tied the game up in the bottom of the fifth and then took the lead with a run in the bottom of the sixth. The loss was charged to Speckman, who allowed two runs in 2.2 innings of relief. Freshman Nicole Aviles got the start and allowed the first two runs of the game.
Offensively, Buffalo got hits from seven different players, but none had multi-hit games.
The Bulls will remain in California during this Spring Break week and will play a doubleheader at Long Beach State on Wednesday.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Ercolano (2-5)
L: Cowan, Dani (0-6)
Batting:
RBI: Curtiss, Alexis 1
SH: Gallardo, Sammi 1 ; Saucier, Andi 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nevez, Karly 1
HBP: Saucier, Andi 2
Batting:
2B: Pickett 1
HR: White 1
RBI: Anderson 1 ; Pickett 1 ; White 2 ; Lujan 1
SH: Ercolano 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Shore 1 ; Pickett 1 ; White 1 ; Sanchez 1 ; Esteban 1
SB: Shore 1 ; Esteban 1
HBP: Pickett 1 ; Esteban 1
