Bulls Drop Two On Friday

Friday, February 13

2:30 pm

University at Buffalo

3-3

Sam Houston St.

0-7

Sam Houston State

Buffalo

2/13/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

ARLINGTON, TX – The University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, softball team lost a pair of games on Friday during the first day of the Maverick Invitational on the campus of UT-Arlington. UB lost to Sam Houston State, 5-0, earlier in the day before falling to the host Mavericks, 11-3, in five innings.

The Bulls were shut out in the opening game of the day as Sam Houston State scored two unearned runs in the top of the third and three more runs in the fifth, taking advantage of four UB errors in the field. The Bulls had four hits, two of those coming from senior Alexis Curtiss.

Curtiss opened the first with another double this year and moved to third with no outs, but the Bulls were unable to get her across the plate. Curtiss hit a two-out single in the third and sophomore Savanna Norcio singled in the fourth. Sophomore Ashton Earnhardrt doubled in the fifth, but couldn't get past second.

Freshman Charlotte Miller picked up the loss as she pitched 4.1 innings, while allowing four runs, just two of those earned, while striking out three. Redshirt sophomore Bobbi Langlois came on in relief and pitched the final 1.1, allowing one run and striking out three batters.

The Bulls kept it close early in the second game, but were hurt by a seven-run third inning. UT-Arlington scored in the bottom of the first, but the Bulls answered in the top of the second with four straight singles, the last coming from junior Lauren Gambone as she drove in the first UB run.

UB took the lead in the top of the third inning as the Bulls again loaded the bases and again it was Gambone who drove in the run, this time being hit by a pitch. The Bulls took a 2-1 lead, but UT-Arlington scored seven in the bottom half to take an 8-2 lead.

The Bulls got one back in the top of the fourth as Curtiss hit a one-out single and moved to second with two away. She came in to score on a double down the left field line from senior Hayley Barrow. The Bulls trailed 8-3 before the Mavericks scored three in the bottom of the fifth to end the game.

Barrow picked up the loss as she allowed eight runs in 3.0 innings. Langlois pitched the final 1.2 innings and allowed three runs, which were all unearned as UB committed another three errors in the game.

Curtiss and fellow senior Karly Nevez both had two-hit games as the Bulls actually outhit UT-Arlington, 9-7.

"Our pitchers are getting us ground balls and pop flys, but our defensive needs to sharpen up," said head coach Trena Peel. "We are booting the ball around and giving teams extra opportunities. We are hitting the ball hard, but we are not getting hits when runners are in scoring position. Every game we are leaving way too many runners on base."

The Bulls will continue play tomorrow at the Maverick Invitational as they play Sam Houston State again at 1:30 pm EST followed by a matchup with Incarnate Word.