STAFF REPORTS
news@allwnynews.com
BUFFALO — The University at Buffalo softball team split their doubleheader at Canisius on Wednesday as the Bulls won the first game in extra innings, 7-6, before falling in the nightcap, 4-3.
The Bulls struck first in the opener on Wednesday as junior Leandra Jew returned to the lineup and she doubled in freshman Jenelle Martinez for the first run. Canisius answered back by scoring five straight to take a 5-1 lead, but the Bulls continued to chip away at their deficit.
UB added a run in the top of the third as freshman Jessica Goldyn hit an infield single to score Jew. Buffalo pulled within 5-4 in the fifth as junior Danielle Lallos singled to center field, driving in two runs. The Bulls finally took the lead in the top of the seventh when freshman Gabby Keller hit a two-run single to center, giving Buffalo the 6-5 advantage. Canisius tied it up in the bottom of the seventh to send the game to extra innings.
Sophomore Catrell Robertson was placed on second in the eighth as part of the international tiebreaker rule. She moved to third on a fielder’s choice and then came in to score as Bobbi Langlois hit a grounder to short, but the throw to the plate was wide, scoring Robertson with what was the game-winning run.
Junior Charlotte Miller picked up her first win of the season as she pitched 7.0 innings allowing three earned runs. Sophomore Brieanna Baker recorded her first save as she pitched the eighth. Jew went a perfect 3-for-3 from the plate, while Martinez, Lallos, and Robertson all had two-hit games.
In the nightcap, Canisius scored three runs in the second off UB starter Taylor Light and added one in the third to take a 4-0 lead before Buffalo tried to make a comeback.
The Bulls put two runners on in the fourth and Miller hit a shot to right field, scoring both runs. Miller was thrown out at the plate trying to stretch the hit into an inside the park home run. The Bulls added another run in the sixth as Lallos hit a leadoff double and she came in to score on a single from Goldyn.
Goldyn and Ally Power each went 2-for-3 from the plate in the game. Baker pitched three innings in relief and scattered three hits, while striking out three batters.
“Tonight we gave it all we had for 15 innings,” said head coach Trena Peel. “I was fighting for them and they had my back on the field. We overcame adversity in the first game and they stuck together and finished strong. I’m proud of Charlotte for throwing a strong seven innings and then BB came in to close it out for us in the eighth. Offensively, I love that our mindset at the plate is better and we are having a lot more quality at bats. I hope we take this energy and cohesiveness into our MAC series this weekend.”
The Bulls will play their first MAC road series this weekend when they head to Toledo for a three-game series. Buffalo will play a single game on Friday at 3pm and a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1pm.