University at Buffalo
11-22, 0
Bowling Green
20-13, 0
Bulls Split Doubleheader At Bowling Green
4/12/2013 12:00:00 AM | Softball
BOWLING GREEN, OH - The University at Buffalo softball team split today's conference doubleheader at Bowling Green, winning the opener, 2-0, but falling in the second game, 2-1, having their five-game winning streak snapped. The UB pitching staff had its run of 19.1 scoreless innings broken in game two. The Bulls are now 11-23 on the year and 4-6 in conference play.
The Bulls backed an outstanding pitching performance from Tori Speckman in the opener by scoring two runs in the fourth inning after some defensive miscues by the Falcons. Both pitchers were outstanding as BG's Jamie Kertes allowed just one hit in the game, but the Bulls took advantage in other ways.
Junior Sammi Gallardo reached to open the fourth on an error in right field. She moved to second on a fielder's choice and then advanced to third on an error from the BG second baseman. A ground out by Heather Ryder gave the Bulls their first run without yet recording a hit in the game. Sophomore Alexis Curtiss took care of that as she hit an infield single, scoring senior Alyssa Ward.
Speckman did the rest as she struck out nine batters in the complete game shutout, the second straight shut out that she pitched. She scattered six hits, but really only had to work out of serious trouble once, in the sixth inning. The Falcons opened the inning with a double and a single, but an outfield assist from Karly Nevez cut down the BG runner heading for home. Bowling Green then put runners on the corners with one out when Speckman grabbed a hard line drive back to the circle and threw over to first for the double play.
Ryder gave UB a solid start in the second game as well, but allowed a two-run home run in the bottom of the third, the first runs allowed in the last four games by the Bulls. It would be the only inning that Bowling Green would score in, but UB's offense was only able to score one run.
Ward hit a one-out double to open the fourth and she came in to score on a double from freshman Anissa Pinedo. The Bulls put two runners into scoring position in the inning, forcing a BG pitching change, but a strikeout ended the inning. Speckman came on in the fifth inning after Ryder got into early trouble and pitched the Bulls out of the inning after the first two reached based. The Bulls were able to record doubles in the fifth and sixth innings, but could not get that clutch hit to drive in the runs.
Ryder picked up the hard-luck loss as she went four innings and allowed five hits, while striking out three. Speckman struck out two in two innings of hitless relief. After recording just one hit in the first game, UB had seven in the second game, including a 2-for-3 performance from Ward.
"We got a great effort in the circle again from our pitchers today, but our offense struggled in both games," said Teague. "We took advantage of some of their defensive mistakes in the first game and we were just one clutch hit away from a different outcome in game two."
The Bulls begin a two-game series at Toledo tomorrow afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 2pm.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Speckman, Tori (6-5)
L: KERTES (7-8)
Batting:
RBI: Ryder, Heather 1 ; Curtiss, Alexis 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gallardo, Sammi 1 ; Ward, Alyssa 1
Batting:
2B: FULK 1 ; SHOOK 2
SH: DICK 1
Base Running:
HBP: FULK 1
