Bulls Split Pair At Florida A&M

Friday, March 21

4 pm

14-12

Florida A&M

9-17

Buffalo

Florida A&M

3/21/2014 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

TALLAHASSEE, FL – Despite receiving two outstanding complete-game performances from senior Tori Speckman, the Bulls split their Spring Break finale on Friday defeating Florida A&M, 3-2, in nine innings in the opener, before falling to the Rattlers, 2-1, in the nightcap. UB now enters MAC play with a 14-13 record.

In the opener, Florida A&M scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning, but Speckman and the Bulls shut down their offense for the remainder of the contest. However, the Bulls couldn't cut into the Florida A&M lead until the sixth inning. Junior Alexis Curtiss opened the inning with a single up the middle and she came in to score on a double from senior Sammi Gallardo, who tied the game up as she scored on an RBI ground out from Heather Ryder.

The game moved into extra innings and finally into a ninth inning where the Bulls took their first lead of the day. Senior Holly Luciano opened the frame with a single and moved on to second after a sacrifice bunt from Ryleigh Fitzgerald. A throwing error from the Florida A&M short stop allowed Luciano to cross the plate.

Speckman picked up the win as she had a stretch where she retired 19 straight batters and 22 of the final 24 she faced. Speckman allowed just two hits, both in the first inning, and walked just two, while she struck out 11 batters, picking up her 10^th victory of the season. Offensively, UB had six hits, which came from six different players. Gallardo joined Karly Nevez and Tori Pettine with extra base hits as all three hits doubles in the game.

In the second game, UB took the lead in the top of the second as Luciano hit a one-out triple and was driven home on a single from junior Hayley Barrow. UB held on to that lead until bottom of the fifth when Florida A&M staged a two-out rally. After a single, the Rattlers kept the inning alive thanks to a Buffalo fielding error, putting two runners on base. Florida A&M then got a double from Amber Fullwood, which drove in both runs. UB was unable to answer.

Speckman picked up the loss as she allowed two runs in the complete game, both unearned. She struck out eight batters in the contest, allowing six hits and walking two. Nevez went 2-for-2 from the plate as the Bulls had six hits.

"Tori did her job in the circle in both games today," said head coach Trena Peel. "FAMU is a very scrappy and hungry team. We drove the ball hard and they made some great plays in the field. They played hard until the final outs. We beat ourselves defensively tonight. We have to learn to play 21 outs of error free defense. We are knocking on the door of showing our true potential out on that field."

The Bulls will now open up MAC play and their 2014 home schedule on Friday when they host Ball State for a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 pm.