Bulls End Weekend with 4-1 Win Over Northern Colorado

Sunday, February 23

8 am

8-3

Northern Colo.

2-13

Northern Colorado

Buffalo

Bulls End Weekend with 4-1 Win Over Northern Colorado

2/23/2014 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

OXFORD, MS - The University at Buffalo softball team got solid pitching and timely hitting on Sunday morning as they defeated Northern Colorado, 4-1, to end play at the Red and Blue Classic. The victory improves the Bulls to 8-3 on the season.

UB struck first as it scored three runs in the first inning. Junior Alexis Curtiss led off with a single to left field and she moved to second following a bunt single from Holly Luciano. Both runners moved into scoring position and then came in to score on a single to left field from junior Hayley Barrow. Barrow came in to score as fellow newcomer Devon Rodriguez drove her in on a single to center field.

Senior Heather Ryder got the start in the circle and kept Northern Colorado off the scoreboard for the first three innings. The Bears scored one in the top of the fourth, but UB answered in the bottom half of the inning as freshman Ashton Earnhardt hit a two-out triple down the left field line. Luciano then walked and stole second base. A throwing error on the steal attempt allowed Earnhardt to come in to score giving UB a 4-1 lead.

Senior Tori Speckman came in to relieve Ryder and she was dominant as she struck out six batters in three innings for her first save of the season. Ryder picked up the win as she improved to 2-0 on the year. She allowed just two hits and one run in four innings, while striking out three.

Offensively, Curtiss finished the game 3-for-4 from the plate as she was the only UB player to finish with multiple hits. Seven other players found the hit column, including Ryder and Earnhardt, who both had extra base hits.

"We came out hungry today and scored first," said head coach Trena Peel. "We drove the ball hard all game. Heather did a great job keeping them off balance and Tori came in and closed it out for us. I am proud of them for bouncing back today after a rough day at the park yesterday."

The Bulls will travel next weekend to the University of New Mexico Lobo Classic where they will begin action on Friday against North Dakota St.