Bulls Split MAC Clash With Northern Illinois

Friday, May 1

1 pm

University at Buffalo

11-37, 3-15

Northern Illinois

28-20, 11-6

Northern Illinois

Buffalo

Bulls Split MAC Clash With Northern Illinois

5/1/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

BUFFALO, NY – Playing a Mid-American Conference series for the first time at home on Friday afternoon, the University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, softball team split its doubleheader with Northern Illinois. The Bulls walked off with a victory, 5-4, in eight innings in the second game after falling 7-0 in the opener.

UB allowed four unearned runs in the top of the first of its second game on Friday, but redshirt sophomore Bobbi Langlois kept the Huskies off the board for the remainder of the game as she went the distance for the Bulls.

Despite trailing 4-0 heading into the bottom of the inning, the Bulls got two back in the first thanks to a two-out rally. Senior Hayley Barrow singled through the right side and then moved to second on a walk to Makayla Kowaliuk. With two on, freshman Danielle Lallos hit a double to right center, which scored a pair.

Langlois went on to retire nine straight NIU hitters before the Huskies put two on in the fifth inning, but a ground out ended the threat. The Bulls tied the game up in the bottom of the fifth as freshman Leandra Jew opened the frame with an infield single. Senior Alexis Curtiss then had the big hit as she smacked a home run to center field, tying up the contest at 4-4.

NIU put two runners on in the seventh with just one out, but a strike out from Langlois and a ground out back to the pitcher ended the inning. Langlois retired the Huskies in order in the eighth, sending the Bulls and Barrow to the plate. The senior sent the crowd home happy as she connected and sent a shot to deep left field, giving the Bulls the 5-4 victory.

Langlois picked up her seventh win of the season as she allowed seven hits and four unearned runs, while striking out four NIU batters. Barrow and sophomore Savanna Norcio each finished with two hits in the game, while six Bulls collected hits altogether.

"Bobbi did a phenomenal job of bouncing back after she got knocked out of the first game. She did her job and that's great for her mentally and something that we have struggled with as a team all year," said head coach Trena Peel. "Our seniors stepped up and it is senior weekend. Hayley and Lex with two bombs and that is what we have been asking for all year, but better late than never."

UB struggled in the opener on Friday as it recorded just three hits in a 7-0 loss. The Huskies scored four runs in the top of the second, while adding two in the sixth and one in the seventh. Langlois picked up the loss in that one as she last just 1.2 innings. Freshman Charlotte Miller came on in relief and allowed just one earned run in 5.1 innings pitched, while striking out three. Curtiss picked up two of UB's three hits in the game, while the other one came from senior Karly Nevez.

The Bulls will now begin a two-game series against Western Michigan Saturday afternoon with first pitch set for 2:00 pm.