UB Drops A Pair On Saturday Afternoon

Saturday, February 28

12:15 pm

University at Buffalo

10-9

Kennesaw St.

3-11

Buffalo

Mercer

UB Drops A Pair On Saturday Afternoon

2/28/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

MACON, GA – The University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, softball team combined to score 15 runs in their two games on Saturday, but dropped a pair at the Black and Orange Challenge. UB dropped the opener to Kennesaw State, 16-7, while falling in the second game to Mercer, 9-8.

UB got out to a quick start in the opener, but fell victim to seven errors in the field. The Bulls scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning as Makayla Kowaliuk hit a sacrifice fly, while junior Kenzie Koch drove in two runs with a single.

Kennesaw State scored five runs in the top of the third as the Bulls committed three errors in the inning, but UB tied it up in the bottom half of the inning as Kowaliuk drove in another run and senior Karly Nevez drove in the tying run on a single up the middle. The Owls scored three more in the fourth to take an 8-5 lead. UB pulled within 8-7 as senior Alexis Curtiss hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth.

Kennesaw State scored one in the fifth and then exploded for seven runs in the top of the seventh to break the game open. UB finished the game with 10 hits, led by two-hit games from Kowaliuk, Curtiss and Nevez. Curtiss had a pair of extra base hits with a double and the home run. Senior Hayley Barrow picked up the loss in the circle.

In the second game, Mercer scored three runs in the bottom of the first and held on to that lead until the top of the fourth when the Bulls got on the board. The Bulls loaded the bases with nobody out in the inning as Kowaliuk drove in a pair on a single, pulling UB within 3-2. Mercer scored three in the bottom of the fourth, but UB responded with three more in the top of the fifth.

UB loaded the bases again in the inning and RBI singles from Curtiss and Barrow followed by another RBI from Kowaliuk made it 6-5 Mercer. UB took a lead in the top of the sixth as Savanna Norcio drove in a run on a single to left field, while Curtiss drove in a run as she reached on an error. Barrow also doubled down the right field line, giving UB an 8-6 lead.

However, Mercer tied the game up with two runs in the bottom of the sixth and then walked off with the win in the bottom of the seventh on a two-out triple to take the game, 9-8.

UB added 11 more hits in the game, led by three-hit games from Norcio and Barrow. Redshirt sophomore Bobbi Langlois picked up the loss.

"Offensively we are getting it done. It is hard to process that we scored seven runs in the first game and eight in the second and we ended up with two loses," said head coach Trena Peel. "Our defense is still our Achilles' heel. Once we begin to play error free defense, we are going to be a force to reckon with."

The Bulls wrap up play tomorrow at the Black and Orange Classic against Evansville at 11:30 am.