University at Buffalo
3-5
Sam Houston St.
2-6
Bulls Split Saturday's Action
2/14/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
ARLINGTON, TX – The University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, softball team split its two games on Saturday, falling to Sam Houston St., 11-0, in the first game before defeating Incarnate Word, 10-7, in eight innings. The Bulls are now 3-6 on the year.
In the nightcap, the Bulls had to fight back to send the game in extra innings, but scored four runs in the eighth for the victory. Incarnate Word scored twice in the bottom of the first, but the Bulls responded with a five-run inning in the top of the second. Sophomore Ashton Earnhardt opened the inning with a double to left and scored on an Incarnate Word throwing error with one away. The Bulls tacked on to the lead as freshman Danielle Lallos hit her first career home-run, a two-run shot to right center, giving the Bulls a 3-2 lead. Following a strikeout, senior Alexis Curtiss tripled down the right field line and came in to score on a double from sophomore Savanna Norcio. The Bulls scored their fifth run as Norcio scored on a single up the middle from senior Hayley Barrow.
UB loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the third, but couldn't add to its lead as Incarnate Word cut into the deficit with two runs in the bottom of the third. UB continued to lead 5-4 into the sixth inning when the Cardinals scored two runs to take a 6-5 lead, but UB answered in the top of the seventh as the Bulls put runners on the corners with one out. Lallos drove in the tying run on a groundout to second, sending the game into extra innings.
With the international tiebreaker rule in place to start eighth inning, freshman Kelsey Johnson was placed on second and following a single from Curtiss, UB had runners on the corners. After a passed ball allowed Curtiss to take second, both runs came in to score on a single from Norcio, who was thrown out at second trying to stretch it into an extra base hit.
UB then recorded hits from Barrow and Lauren Gambone to put two on for Earnhardt, who drove in a run with a single to left. Freshman Makayla Kowaliuk came on as a pinch hitter and she drove in a run with a single up the middle, giving the Bulls a 10-6 lead. Incarnate Word scored one in the bottom of the eighth, but the Bulls closed it out for their third win of the year.
Charlotte Miller picked up the win in relief as she pitched the final 3.0 innings, allowing three runs, just two of those earned. UB recorded a season-high 18 hits, including a 4-for-5 performance from the plate by Earnhardt. Norcio and Barrow each went 3-for-4, while Norcio had three runs batted in. Lallos also finished with a career-best three runs batted in. Curtiss and senior Karly Nevez each had two hits in the game. In all, nine different players collected hits for the Bulls.
The offensive outburst was much needed after UB's first game that saw the Bulls fall to Sam Houston State, 11-0, in five innings. The Bulls had six hits in the game, including a 2-for-2 performance from Earnhardt, who ended up 6-for-7 on the day. Redshirt sophomore Bobbi Langlois picked up the loss, allowing five runs in just a third of an inning.
The Bulls conclude play tomorrow morning at the Maverick Invitational as they face Ohio State at 9:00 am EST.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Atkinson, T. (1-1)
L: Langlois, Bobbi (0-3)
Batting:
RBI: Johnson, Kelsey 1
Base Running:
CS: Earnhardt, Ashton 1
Batting:
2B: Kieval, J 1 ; Castillo, T. 1 ; Adams, H. 1
HR: Webb, P. 1
RBI: Slater, J. 1 ; Allen, D. 1 ; Webb, P. 3 ; Allison, S. 1 ; Kieval, J 2 ; Castillo, T. 2 ; Garcia, A. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Slater, J. 1 ; Allen, D. 2 ; Webb, P. 2 ; Allison, S. 2 ; Gonzales, A. 2 ; Castillo, T. 1 ; Quinn, M. 1
HBP: Gonzales, A. 1
