Bulls Power Their Way To A Pair Of Victories

Saturday, February 27

12 pm

2-5

Rhode Island

3-6

Princeton

Buffalo

Bulls Power Their Way To A Pair Of Victories

2/27/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

HAMPTON, VA – The University at Buffalo softball team had their most successful day of the young 2016 season on Saturday as the Bulls won two games at the Lady Pirate Classic. UB used an offensive onslaught to defeat Rhode Island 13-5 in the first game, while winning the second game in extra innings with a 3-2 victory over Princeton. The Bulls are now 3-6 on the year.

Buffalo opened Saturday by scoring multiple runs in four of the five innings of their mercy rule victory. The Bulls got started early as they batted around the order in the top of the first. Junior Savanna Norcio got the ball rolling with a two-run home run to center field. A walk and passed ball put Sarah Edwards at second base and she came in to score on a triple by Katie Weimer, who had herself a big afternoon. A fielding error in the outfield scored Weimer to give the Bulls the 4-0 lead.

Rhode Island scored one in the bottom of the first, but UB added two in the top of the second as Edwards hit her first career long ball, a two-run shot to right field. The Bulls took a 6-2 lead into the third inning when they scored five more runs to break the game wide open.

UB put two runners in scoring position to begin the frame and freshman Adriana Lis scored on a fielder's choice. A double from junior Ashton Earnhardt drove in a run and it began a stretch of three straight run-scoring base hits. Sophomore Danielle Lallos drove in a run with a single and Norcio drove in two more runs with a single up the middle.

Rhode Island pulled within 11-5 until the Bulls scored two more in the top of the fifth as Weimer hit a two-out single to center field, which drove in a pair. The Rams were unable to score in the bottom of the fifth giving the Bulls the mercy rule victory.

Freshman Lace Smith picked up the victory as she pitched 4.0 innings in the win, while fellow freshman Taylor Light pitched the bottom of the fifth and allowed just one hit, while striking out two. Lallos went 3-for-4 from the plate while Norcio and Weimer each had two hits. That duo combined for seven runs batted in during the game.

"It was a great day all around for us," said head coach Trena Peel. "We swung the bats really well in the first game and Lace Smith gave us a good outing and then Taylor Light came on in relief and she was lights out!"

The second game on Saturday was a stark contrast to the first as it was pitching that ruled for most of the contest. Freshman Brieanna Baker made her first start and was excellent for the Bulls as she struck out 11 in 10.0 innings.

Neither team was able to get a run across the plate until the seventh inning when both teams used the long ball. Princeton got a leadoff home run in the top of the seventh to give the Tigers the lead, but Weimer continued to swing the hot bat as she tied the game up with a two-out solo home run to right center field on a 2-0 count, sending the game into extra innings.

The two teams went scoreless in the eighth thanks to a double play by Leandra Jew, who threw out a Princeton runner at the plate to end the inning. The Tigers scored one in the top of the ninth, but the Bulls answered in the bottom half as they had two in scoring position for freshman Courtney Gilbert, who singled through the left side to tie it up.

In the 10^th inning, Baker retired the side in order give the Bulls a chance for the walk-off win. Senior Kenzie Koch was placed on second as part of the international tie-breaker rule and she moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. Koch then came in to score the game-winning run on a pinch-hit single to center field by Nicolette Jacobs, giving the Bulls the sweep.

Baker picked up the win as she went all 10.0 innings and allowed two runs, just one earned, while striking out 11 and walking four. The Bulls finished with seven hits as Weimer went 2-for-4 in the contest.

"We played together and fought together as a team in the second game," said Peel. "Our freshman group really stepped up for us today and today is the first day where I really feel like we played UB softball for every inning and we left our blood, sweat and tears out there on that field."

Riding a two-game winning streak the Bulls will now head down to Arkansas next weekend and will begin play on Friday against Wright State at 11:00 am EST.