Bulls Drop Tough Doubleheader At Kent State

Saturday, April 27

Kent, OH

2 pm

University at Buffalo

14-27, 5-10

Kent State

22-17-1, 12-5

Buffalo

Kent State

Bulls Drop Tough Doubleheader At Kent State

4/27/2013 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

KENT, OH - The University at Buffalo softball team lost both ends of a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon, including a second game that went 11 innings. The Golden Flashes took the opener, 4-1, and the second game, 7-6.

In the opener, both teams put up zeros through the first three innings before the Golden Flashes got on the board in the bottom of the fourth. Kent State added three more runs in the bottom of the fifth and held on to the shutout until the top of the seventh when the Bulls finally got on the board.

Using four pinch hitters in the inning, junior Tori Pettine reached base on a bunt single. After stealing second, Pettine came in to score on an error from the Kent State short stop following a ground ball from Dani Cowan. UB was unable to score anymore runs as junior Tori Speckman picked up the loss. She struck out six in 6.0 innings pitched.

The UB offense got it going with six runs in game two, but the Bulls couldn't string a rally together when they needed it the most in the extra innings. Kent State scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning, but UB tied it up with a three-spot in top half of the inning.

The Bulls loaded the bases in the top of the second with nobody out and after a fielder's choice, they scored two runs following a hit by pitch and a walk. A passed ball scored the third run of the inning. The Golden Flashes regained the lead in the bottom of the second, chasing UB starter Nicole Aviles, and went up by a score of 5-3 heading into the fourth inning.

Junior Sammi Gallardo pulled the Bulls back within one with her eighth home run of the season and a single from Alexis Curtiss in the fifth inning tied the game up 5-5. The game remained tied into the seventh inning when the Bulls scored an unearned run on an error from the Kent State pitcher. The Bulls took a one-run lead into the bottom of the seventh, but the Golden Flashes put the first two runners on. Kent State tied the game up on a fielder's choice and had two runners in scoring position with nobody out. UB was able to avoid further damage with a line out and a pair of strike outs to send the game into extra innings.

Neither team was able to score a run during the first three extra frames, but Kent State came through in the bottom of the 11th with a two-out single, scoring the winning run from third.

Speckman picked up the loss as she pitched 4.2 innings, allowing just one hit and striking out three. Speckman and Cowan combined to pitch 9.1 innings and allowed just two earned runs. Gallardo went 2-for-5 with a pair of runs batted in while Curtiss and Cowan both had two-hit games as well.

The Bulls head South to Olean, NY on Tuesday afternoon for a doubleheader at St. Bonaventure. First game is at 3:00 pm.