STAFF REPORTS
news@allwnynews.com
CLERMONT, Fla. — Buffalo State played its third extra-inning game in a row and got two runs in the top of the eighth to defeat Buena Vista, 5-4 before falling to nationally-ranked Tufts, 11-3 in the second game on day two of its 12-game stay in Florida.
GAME #1: Buffalo State – 5, Buena Vista 4 (8 inn.)
Allie Block (N. Tonawanda/Starpoint) did it with her arm and her bat, throwing a complete-game with seven strikeouts and finishing 3-for-4 at the plate with one RBI and a run scored. Cassandra O’Hern (Augusta, NJ/High Point) went 2-for-4 at the dish with two runs scored. Danielle Szymkowiak (Cheektowaga/Cheektowaga) slugged a solo shot and Nicole Adams (Lockport/Starpoint) added two RBIs to round out the Bengal offense. Buena Vista got on the board first in the opening inning and added another in the third to take a 2-0 lead heading into the fourth.
Szymkowiak homered to left in the top of the inning to get Buffalo State on the board, trailing 2-1. Adams doubled down the left field line to plate two runs in the top of the sixth to give the Bengals a 3-2 lead. The Beavers responded with a solo home run in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game at three. Neither team could score in the seventh, forcing the game to extras. Szymkowiak hit a deep sac fly in the eighth, scoring Laura Crooks (Niagara Falls/Niagara Wheatfield) to give the Bengals a 4-3 lead. Block followed her up by tripling down the right field line, scoring O’Hern to make it 5-3, Buffalo State. Buena Vista put the pressure on in the bottom of the inning, loading up the bases with no outs. The Beavers hit a sac fly to make it 5-4, but on the play the Bengals gunned down a Beaver runner at the plate who was trying to score from second to put them one out away from the win. Block got the ensuing batter to pop out to first to seal the 5-4, extra-inning victory.
GAME #2: Tufts – 11, Buffalo State – 3
Julia Blujus (Amherst/Sacred Heart) led the Bengal attack, finishing the game 2-for-3 with a run scored. Tufts jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, but Buffalo State answered right back with three runs in the bottom half of the inning. Block, Adams and Victoria Rigler (Amherst/Sweet Home) all drove in runs in the bottom half of the first. The wheels fell off for the Bengals in the second, as Tufts went on to score five runs in the inning and nine unanswered overall to collect the 11-3 victory after six innings.
Buffalo State will have an off day on Monday before taking on Wisconsin-Whitewater and Wesleyan in a doubleheader on Tuesday, with first pitch set for 9 a.m.
