11-24, 5-3
Ball State
17-22, 3-7
Bulls Take Weekend Series From Ball State
4/9/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
MUNCIE, IN – The University at Buffalo softball team won the first two contests this weekend at Ball State, taking the crucial MAC series from the Cardinals. The Bulls began Saturday by completing a 13-4 win in a game that was postponed midway through competition yesterday. With Buffalo claiming the first two victories, the host Cardinals took the finale, 5-3. The Bulls are now 5-4 in conference play through three weekends.
Earlier today, the Bulls and Cardinals resumed the second game of the series where UB held a 10-2 lead in the top of the fourth. The Bulls had the bases loaded with nobody out when action resumed today. On the first pitch after play resumed, a passed ball scored Ashton Earnhardt for the 11th run of the game. Senior Lauren Gambone then followed that up with a sacrifice fly and freshman Courtney Gilbert tripled down the right field line, giving the Bulls a 13-2 lead.
Ball State scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, but UB came away with the mercy rule victory.
Freshman Brieanna Baker picked up her third win of the year as she pitched a complete game, striking out four in 5.0 innings of play. Four players had multi-RBI games in the victory as freshman Catrell Robertson drove in four with her first inning grand slam on Friday. Junior Savanna Norcio drove in three runs with a long ball of her own on Friday and Gambone and Gilbert each drove in two. Gilbert went 2-for-2 from the plate.
In the final game of the series, Ball State got out to a 3-0 lead through three innings before the Bulls staged a comeback. Earnhardt drew a one-out walk in the fourth before Robertson crushed another long ball, pulling the Bulls back within 3-2.
In the fifth inning, sophomore Leandra Jew reached via a free pass and she came in to score on a double to right center from freshman Katie Weimer, tying the game up at 3-3. UB got the go-ahead run to third, but couldn't get it home.
Ball State regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning with a two-out rally against Charlotte Miller, scoring two runs. Freshman Taylor Light came on in relief and got a big strikeout to end the inning. UB went in order in the sixth and seventh as Ball State came away with the win.
Miller allowed eight hits and five runs in 4.2 innings, while Light pitched 1.1 innings of hitless ball, striking out two. Buffalo had five hits in the game, coming from five different players, including Weimer, Robertson, Norcio, Earnhardt, and senior Kenzie Koch.
"Playing in real feels like 25-35 degree weather isn't easy, but we found a way to focus on the things that we could control and it was a great weekend overall for us," said head coach Trena Peel. "Offensively we did a lot of great things. It was nice to see our bats get hot again. Baker was able to come back and have a decent finish in game two and Taylor Light did an excellent job of relieving Charlotte and putting us in a position to come back in game three."
The Bulls will remain on the road when they travel to Akron for a mid-week doubleheader with the Zips. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 pm.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Baker, Brieanna (3-5)
L: SCHIFFERDECK (2-4)
Batting:
3B: Gilbert, Courtney 1
HR: Norcio, Savanna 1 ; Robertson, Catrell 1
RBI: Norcio, Savanna 3 ; Earnhardt, Ashton 1 ; Robertson, Catrell 4 ; Gambone, Lauren 2 ; Gilbert, Courtney 2
SF: Gambone, Lauren 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Norcio, Savanna 2 ; Lallos, Danielle 2 ; Earnhardt, Ashton 3 ; Robertson, Catrell 1 ; Smith, Lace 1 ; Koch, Kenzie 1 ; Scott, Taylor 1 ; Gambone, Lauren 1 ; Gilbert, Courtney 1
SB: Lallos, Danielle 1
CS: Weimer, Katie 1
HBP: Lallos, Danielle 1 ; Earnhardt, Ashton 1 ; Scott, Taylor 1
Batting:
HR: MILES 1 ; BATH 1
RBI: MILES 2 ; BATH 2
Base Running:
RUNS: McANALLY 1 ; MILES 2 ; BATH 1
CS: RODRIGUEZ 1
HBP: COWGER 1
