Aviles' Gem Leads Bulls To Doubleheader Split With Ohio

Saturday, March 30

1 pm

5-20, 0-3

Ohio

17-11, 2-1

Ohio

Buffalo

Aviles' Gem Leads Bulls To Doubleheader Split With Ohio

3/30/2013 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

BUFFALO, NY - Freshman Nicole Aviles pitched a complete game one-hitter with 12 strikeouts on Saturday afternoon as she helped lead the Bulls to a doubleheader split with Ohio at Nan Harvey Field. The victory was UB's first in MAC play, winning the second game, 4-3. Ohio took the opener, 8-1.

Aviles was dealing in the second game of the doubleheader as she didn't allow a hit until the fifth inning. She had six strikeouts through the first four innings during which UB took a 2-0 lead. The Bulls had two runners in scoring position with just one out when a passed ball scored sophomore Alexis Curtiss from third base. UB tacked on a second run in the bottom of the fourth as pinch runner Kenzie Koch scored on a long double to left field from junior Heather Ryder, her first hit and run batted in at UB.

The Bulls held the 2-0 lead into the fifth inning when a few defensive miscues gave Ohio the lead, despite the brilliant pitching from Aviles. Two runs came in to score on a wild pitch, while a third came in on a dropped fly ball in center field. It wouldn't be the last time that center field play was the story in this game. UB got out of the inning trailing 3-2, but that didn't last long as junior Sammi Gallardo opened the bottom half of the inning with home run to left center, tying the game up at 3-3.

Following a scoreless top of the sixth, the Bulls got a one-out single from freshman Anissa Pinedo, who was replaced on the base paths by junior Holly Luciano. After a perfect sacrifice bunt from freshman Ryleigh Fitzgerald, which moved Luciano to second, Ryder came up again and hit a high fly ball into center field, which was unable to be caught by the Ohio center fielder, scoring Luciano with the go-ahead run. Aviles came out in the top of the seventh and struck out the first two batters before walking the next two. She came back to strike out the final batter, her 12th of the game.

Aviles improved to 3-1 with the win allowing just one hit and three unearned runs. She walked five and struck out 12. Senior Jessica Griffin went 2-for-3 in the contest as the Bulls had seven hits.

"I thought Nicole was outstanding this afternoon and she listened to her catcher and the pitches being called," said head coach Jen Teague. "She worked through some issues in the field and got us an important first MAC win today."

The Bobcats got on the board quickly in the first game scoring a run in the top of the first off Ryder, who pitched the complete game in the opener. Ohio had its biggest offensive inning in the third with four runs and added another two in the sixth and one in the seventh. It took to the bottom of the seventh inning for the Bulls to get on the board as Pinedo doubled into left field, scoring Koch, who pinch ran following a single from Griffin.

Ryder picked up the loss despite pitching all 7.0 innings, allowing 10 hits and six walks, while striking out four. Lauren McClary, who picked up the loss for Ohio in game two, recorded the victory in the opener, allowing just four hits and striking out six. UB got singles hits from Gallardo, Griffin, Pinedo and Tori Pettine in the first game.

The Bulls will step out of conference play for a doubleheader on Wednesday at Niagara. The first game begins at 3:00 pm.