Friday, February 7
Hammond, LA
1:00 pm
1-0
4
vs
3
UT Martin
0-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Buffalo
0
0
0
0
0
4
0
4
5
0
UT Martin
2
0
0
0
1
0
0
3
5
0
Bulls Pick Up First Win of 2020, Split Friday Action at Open Season at Lion Classic
2/7/2020 7:58:00 PM | Softball
Hammond, LA – The University at Buffalo softball team split a pair of games to open the 2020 season at the Lion Classic on Friday. The Bulls defeated UT Martin 4-3 in the first game of the day, before falling to the hosts, Southeastern Louisiana, 11-3 in six innings in game two.
In the first game, UT Martin struck first in the bottom of the first as they scored two runs on an RBI double and an RBI groundout to take an early 2-0 lead.
Freshman pitcher Madelyn Hickingbottom then settled down, retiring 11 of the next 12 Skyhawks batters, to keep the Bulls within striking distance through four innings of play.
The Skyhawks would add to their lead in the bottom of the fifth as Shayanne Sheffield knocked an RBI single through the left side to give UT Martin a 3-0 lead.
The Bulls broke through in the top of the sixth as Abigail Vincent recorded the first hit of her UB career and Brianna Castro smacked a double to left center for her first career hit in the blue and white to plate UB's first run. Later, Anna Aguon singled through the left side, scoring Castro, to cut the lead to 3-2 before Jenelle Martinez crushed a two-run homer deep over the wall in left to put Buffalo on top 4-3 and that would be all UB would need as Hickingbottom retired the last six batters she faced to preserve the season-opening victory.
Hickingbottom picked up her first career win as she gave up just three runs on five hits while striking out five in a complete game effort. Martinez led the Bulls at the plate going 1-for-3 with a home run and a pair of RBI, while Aguon and Castro added their first RBI's of the season as well.
In game two, it was the hosts who got on the board first as the Lions scored three runs on three hits and a UB error to take an early 3-0 lead and would add another run on an RBI single to go up 4-0 through two innings of play.
The Bulls got on the board in the top of the third as back-to-back hits from Aguon and Martinez loaded the bases before Abby Vincent dropped an RBI single over the shortstop's head into left field to plate UB's first run. Later, Hannah Bardeen knocked an RBI single through the left side to cut the SLU lead to 4-2 but Martinez was thrown out at home to end the rally.
Buffalo would continue to chip away in the fourth as Olivia Kincanon ripped an RBI double to right to cut the lead to 4-3.
The Lions would answer in the bottom of the fifth as Briahna Bennett drilled a two-run shot over the wall in left center field to give the hosts a 6-3 lead and they would put the game away in the sixth, scoring five runs on four hits to secure the 11-3 victory.
Aguon and Kincannon each went 2-for-3 with a double at the plate while Alexis Lucyshyn made her first appearance in the circle for UB, giving up six runs, five earned, on eight hits in five innings of work. Mykaela Martin, also making her first appearance in the circle, gave up five runs on four hits in two thirds of an inning of relief.
"We fell behind early but battled hard and always kept ourselves within striking distance," said head coach Mike Ruechel. "Jenelle came through at a big time and Maddie pitched very well with solid defense behind her. Today was a good learning experience for our younger Bulls and tomorrow will be a big day to see how we respond to facing adversity and our ability to bounce back."
The Bulls will return to action on Saturday afternoon at 3pm EST as they take on Grambling State before a rematch with the Skyhawks at 5pm.
In the first game, UT Martin struck first in the bottom of the first as they scored two runs on an RBI double and an RBI groundout to take an early 2-0 lead.
Freshman pitcher Madelyn Hickingbottom then settled down, retiring 11 of the next 12 Skyhawks batters, to keep the Bulls within striking distance through four innings of play.
The Skyhawks would add to their lead in the bottom of the fifth as Shayanne Sheffield knocked an RBI single through the left side to give UT Martin a 3-0 lead.
The Bulls broke through in the top of the sixth as Abigail Vincent recorded the first hit of her UB career and Brianna Castro smacked a double to left center for her first career hit in the blue and white to plate UB's first run. Later, Anna Aguon singled through the left side, scoring Castro, to cut the lead to 3-2 before Jenelle Martinez crushed a two-run homer deep over the wall in left to put Buffalo on top 4-3 and that would be all UB would need as Hickingbottom retired the last six batters she faced to preserve the season-opening victory.
Hickingbottom picked up her first career win as she gave up just three runs on five hits while striking out five in a complete game effort. Martinez led the Bulls at the plate going 1-for-3 with a home run and a pair of RBI, while Aguon and Castro added their first RBI's of the season as well.
In game two, it was the hosts who got on the board first as the Lions scored three runs on three hits and a UB error to take an early 3-0 lead and would add another run on an RBI single to go up 4-0 through two innings of play.
The Bulls got on the board in the top of the third as back-to-back hits from Aguon and Martinez loaded the bases before Abby Vincent dropped an RBI single over the shortstop's head into left field to plate UB's first run. Later, Hannah Bardeen knocked an RBI single through the left side to cut the SLU lead to 4-2 but Martinez was thrown out at home to end the rally.
Buffalo would continue to chip away in the fourth as Olivia Kincanon ripped an RBI double to right to cut the lead to 4-3.
The Lions would answer in the bottom of the fifth as Briahna Bennett drilled a two-run shot over the wall in left center field to give the hosts a 6-3 lead and they would put the game away in the sixth, scoring five runs on four hits to secure the 11-3 victory.
Aguon and Kincannon each went 2-for-3 with a double at the plate while Alexis Lucyshyn made her first appearance in the circle for UB, giving up six runs, five earned, on eight hits in five innings of work. Mykaela Martin, also making her first appearance in the circle, gave up five runs on four hits in two thirds of an inning of relief.
"We fell behind early but battled hard and always kept ourselves within striking distance," said head coach Mike Ruechel. "Jenelle came through at a big time and Maddie pitched very well with solid defense behind her. Today was a good learning experience for our younger Bulls and tomorrow will be a big day to see how we respond to facing adversity and our ability to bounce back."
The Bulls will return to action on Saturday afternoon at 3pm EST as they take on Grambling State before a rematch with the Skyhawks at 5pm.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hickingbottom, Madelyn (1-0)
L: GALLAGHER, E (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Castro, Brianna 1
HR: Martinez, Jenelle 1
RBI: Aguon, Anna 1 ; Martinez, Jenelle 2 ; Castro, Brianna 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Aguon, Anna 1 ; Martinez, Jenelle 1 ; Bielicki, Sydney 1 ; Castro, Brianna 1
CS: Aguon, Anna 1
Batting:
2B: BIVENS, A. 1
RBI: SHEFFIELD, S 2 ; BIVENS, A. 1
SH: SHEFFIELD, S 1
Base Running:
RUNS: CLARK, P. 1 ; GORE, C. 1 ; DYCUS, M. 1
SB: CLARK, P. 1
CS: SHEFFIELD, S 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
UTL
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
C
/ SoftballP/1B
/ Softball
P/OF
/ SoftballIF
/ SoftballC/OF
/ SoftballUB Softball vs. Akron Double Header (4/30) @ 1pm
Thursday, April 24
UB Softball vs. Canisius Double Header (4/23) @ 1pm
Tuesday, April 22
UB Softball vs. Toledo (4/20) @ 12pm
Monday, April 14
UB Softball vs. Northern Illinois doubleheader (4/12) @ 1pm
Thursday, April 10
