UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO ATHLETICS
BUFFALO, NY — The University at Buffalo softball team (11-14, 3-0 MAC) completed a MAC-opening weekend sweep of the Eastern Michigan Eagles this Saturday afternoon with a 6-4 win in the first game and an 8-0 shutout in the finale. This is just the second time in program history that the Bulls swept a conference opening series.
The Bulls got out to a strong start in the opener, sending 10 players to the dish to etch five runs. Leandra got things started with a leadoff walk. Jessica Goldyn followed with a bunt single. Danielle Lallos kept the trend going with a RBI double to center field, which scored Jew. Anna Aguon recorded her seventh hit by pitch to load the bases. With Catrell Robertson at the dish, a passed ball allowed Goldyn and Lallos to score and send Aguon from first base to third base. Alissa Karjel knocked an RBI single up the middle to score Aguon. Alyssa Cuevas hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Robertson.
The Eagles answered back quickly in the top of the second with a leadoff home run to center field. However, Smith got into a groove and retired the next six batters in order. The Eagles then scored an additional run in the fourth, but the Bulls replied with a run of their own in the bottom half.
In the top of the sixth, the Eagles started with a pair of singles that would eventually come home to score. The game concluded with a final score 6-4 in favor of Buffalo.
In the second game of the afternoon, the Bulls scored first after a Goldyn triple to left field followed by a Jenelle Martinez sacrifice fly to left field.
In the third inning, Jew started a two-out rally when she drew a base on balls. Goldyn singled through the right side to score Jew and Martinez singled through the left side to score Goldyn.
In the bottom of the fourth, Robertson reached on a fielding error by the shortstop. She was brought home thanks to a Karjel double up the middle. Cuevas powered through with her second home run of the season, a two-run home run to straight away center field.
Martinez started the fifth inning by successfully reach base after she was hit by the pitch. Aguon singled through the left side, advanced to second on the throw and sent Martinez to third. Robertson followed suit with a 2-RBI single through the right side to end the game on an 8-0 run rule in the fifth inning.
Ally Power pitch another complete five-inning game. She allowed five hits, no walks, and struck out five Eagles in the shutout victory.
The Bulls will head to the MAC’s west coast next week for a three-game series against Northern Illinois beginning on Friday, March 30. The Bulls will return home on Tuesday, April 3 as they host a doubleheader against MAC foe Akron beginning at 1:00pm.
