Bulls Take Weekend Opener From Ball State; Lead In Game Two
4/8/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
MUNCIE, IN – The University at Buffalo softball team only had one thing that was able to stop them on Friday, and that was Mother Nature. The Bulls won the opener at Ball State 2-0 before having game two called in the top of the fourth with Buffalo holding on to a 10-2 lead. That game will resume tomorrow at noon.
The Bulls got a gem of a pitching performance in the first game as sophomore Charlotte Miller pitched a three-hit complete game shutout in the win. All the runs for the Bulls came in the top of the fourth as sophomore Danielle Lallos got it started as she reached on an error and stole second. With one away, Lauren Gambone stepped to the plate and she grounded it to third, but a throwing error allowed Lallos to score the first run and put Gambone at second. Freshman Adriana Lis came on as a pinch runner and she came in to score on a double to right center by junior Savanna Norcio.
Miller stranded two Ball State runners in the bottom of the fourth and stranded another runner in scoring position in the bottom of the sixth. Ball State again put a runner on in the seventh, but Miller ended the game on a strikeout, sealing the win for UB.
Miller picked up her fourth win of the season as she struck out five and walked three over her seven scoreless innings. UB recorded six hits, led by two from junior Ashton Earnhardt, but the Bulls also drew six walks.
Fighting cold temperatures, wind, and rain, the Bulls broke out offensively in game number two. The Bulls sent 10 batters to the plate in the top of the first, six of them reaching after there were two outs. UB had loaded the basses following a hit by pitch and freshman Catrell Robertson sent a shot over right center field for a grand slam home run. Kenzie Koch drew a walk after the homer and advanced to third following a Ball State error. She then came in to score on a single to right field by freshman Courtney Gilbert.
UB added four more runs in the top of the third as Earnhardt made it all the way to third following a couple Ball State errors. Earnhardt then came in to score on a single up the middle by Gambone. Following a walk to Gilbert, Norcio cranked a long ball to right center for a three run home run, giving UB a 9-0 lead.
Ball State finally got on the board with a two-run home run in the bottom of the third inning, but the Bulls responded in the top of the fourth and had it rolling until the weather forced a stoppage in play. Lallos was hit by a pitch to open the inning and she stole second. Earnhardt then drove her in, taking second on the throw. She advanced to third on a wild pitch before Robertson was walked and pinch hitter Taylor Scott was hit by a pitch, loading the bases with nobody away, but that is when the umpires called the game.
"We came into today just trying to be aggressive and play our game," said head coach Trena Peel. "The pitchers were keeping it simple, hitting their spots and mixing up their pitches. Charlotte was great coming out and doing her job in game one and defensively we made some great plays. We started off the second game well and had Catrell in an RBI situation and she came through with a grand slam. The hope is that tomorrow we can come out here and continue to do the things we did today that made us successful."
Today's second game will resume at Noon tomorrow in the fourth inning with UB holding a 10-2 lead. The third and final game in the series will begin following the conclusion of game two.
