UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO ATHLETICS
BUFFALO — The University at Buffalo softball team and the Ohio Bobcats met on the diamond for nearly six hours on Saturday, fighting cold temperature and rain, to play a pair of games, but the Bobcats won both ends of the doubleheader, 9-3 and 11-9.
The Bobcats scored a pair of runs in the top of the first to get the afternoon started, but UB answered in the bottom of the first as Goldyn hit a leadoff single and she managed to steal second, advanced to third on a passed ball, and steal home for the first Buffalo run.
Ohio then scored a pair of runs in the second and the third to take a 6-1 lead. UB scored again in the third as Jenelle Martinez singled and advanced to second on an error. She then came in to score on a single from junior Danielle Lallos.
The Bulls used a two-out rally in the fourth to add another run as Goldyn hit a ground-rule double and then came in to score on single to center from Martinez to pull within 6-3. The Bobcats scored two in the fifth and one in seventh for the 9-3 win.
Buffalo actually outhit Ohio in the first game 12-8, but were undone by seven errors in the field. Bobbi Langlois got the start for the Bulls on senior day and she went the distance as she allowed eight hits and nine runs, but just four of those were earned. Goldyn and Martinez each went 3-for-4 from the plate, while Lallos went 2-for-3. Gabby Keller, Karlie Fernandez, and Ally Power also each had hits.
In the second game, the Bulls scored first in the bottom of the second as Keller doubled and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt before coming in to score on a single from Essence Savinon.
Ohio responded by scoring six runs in the top of the third, but the Bulls came right back with four of their own in the bottom half of the inning. UB loaded the bases with just one out in the inning and Savinon singled to left to score a pair. Junior Charlotte Miller then singled to score a pair, pulling the Bulls within 6-5.
Ohio scored three more in the fourth to go up 9-5, but the Bulls scored two of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Lallos and Alyssa Cuevas hit back-to-back single to start the inning and they both came in to score on a single to center from Keller, making the score 9-7.
Ohio added two more runs in the fifth to take an 11-7 lead, but the Bulls cut into the lead in the sixth. UB put runners on the corners to lead off the inning and Keller grounded out to score Lallos. Fernandez followed that up with a double to left center, scoring Cuevas and making the game 11-9, however Buffalo was unable to get any closer.
Miller picked up the loss as she allowed 14 hits and 10 runs in 4.0 innings. UB got solid work out of the bullpen from sophomore Brieanna Baker, who pitched 2.0 innings of shutout ball, allowing just one hit.
Lallos went 3-for-3 with three runs scored in the game. Keller went 2-for-3, while Savinon finished 2-for-4 with three runs batted in. Cuevas, Fernandez, Miller, and Power had the other hits for UB.
Goldyn had two stolen bases in each game giving her 22 for the year, which is second in school history for stolen bases in a season.
“I’m proud of Jess Goldyn for being a terror on the bases and etching her name up to second in single season stolen bases,” said head coach Trena Peel. “This week we focused on hitting and today we had our best offensive production in a long time. 12 hits in game one and 11 more in game two, but unfortunately we left 18 runners on base and had too many errors. Tomorrow we just need to keep swinging it, tighten up our defense, and dominate in the circle. I know we can do it!”
Prior to today’s game, the Bulls held their Senior Day festivities as they honored Langlois, Savinon, and team manager Matt Meyer.
The teams are scheduled to conclude the series and the regular season tomorrow at 11am at Dobson Field at D’Youville College.
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