STAFF REPORTS
news@allwnynews.com
CLERMONT, Fla.—Buffalo State fell to the University of Chicago, 10-1 in five innings before bouncing back and hanging tough with the No. 4 team in the nation, Luther, who escaped with a 4-0 victory over the Bengals.
GAME #1: University of Chicago – 10, Buffalo State – 1 (5 Inn.)
Cassandra O’Hern (Augusta, NJ/High Point) finished the opener 1-for-2 with the Bengals’ lone RBI.
Julia Blujus (Amherst/Sacred Heart) went 1-for-3 with a run scored. Allie Block (N. Tonawanda/Starpoint) pitched 2.1 innings of relief, allowing no earned runs and striking out four.
Chicago jumped out to a 4-0 lead after the first innings of play. The Maroons added four runs in the top of the third before the Bengals pushed a run across in the bottom half of the inning to make it 8-1.
Chicago scored two more in the top of the fifth, and held Buffalo State scoreless in the bottom half of the inning to collect the 10-1 victory.
GAME #2: Buffalo State – 0, No. 4 Luther – 4
Blujus, O’Hern, Laura Crooks (Niagara Falls/Niagara-Wheatfield) and Danielle Szymkowiak (Cheektowaga/Cheektowaga) all finished the game 1-for-3 at the dish. Block threw a strong outing against one of the best teams in the nation, going six innings and allowing four earned runs. Luther got on the board first in the bottom of the second inning with two runs scored. Buffalo State put the pressure on with a runner on second and third in the top of the third with two outs, but couldn’t push the run across. In the bottom half of the inning, Luther loaded the bases with no outs but Block got three batters in a row to fly out to keep the game at 2-0. The Norse got two more runs in the bottom of the fifth, and despite getting base runners, held the Bengals scoreless over the remainder of the game to get the 4-0 win.
Buffalo State has the day off before returning to action with another doubleheader on Friday. The Bengals take on Elmhurst at 11:30 a.m. followed by a matchup with Calvin at 2 p.m.
