Marshall University Athletics
Softball Drops Two to Bulls
5/1/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Softball Drops Two to Bulls
5/1/2004
- Game One Box Score
- Game Two Box Score
BUFFALO, NY -- Back-to-back five run productions by the University at Buffalo softball team resulted in a pair of losses for Marshall, 5-0 and 5-2, on Saturday afternoon at Nan Harvey Field in Mid-American Conference play.
Game One: Buffalo 5, Marshall 0
Marshall (28-26, 9-11) was out-hit 9-3 and Bull hurler Stacey Evans gave up no runs as Buffalo notched a 5-0 win over the Herd in game one on Saturday.
Two doubles off consecutive pitches from Randi Nielson (Tucson, Ariz.) gave Buffalo (22-21, 8-8) the early lead in the first inning, 1-0. Nielson would proceed to load the bases with a pair of walks before Amanda Luers (Dover, Ohio) was called in for relief with one out.
After striking out one, Melissa Pace singled to left field for the second run of the game.
Marshall was able to escape the two innings with a 2-0 deficit despite UB leaving five runners on base.
Lauren Picciano started off the fourth inning with a triple over right fielder Courtney Kacenga's (Sierra Vista, Ariz.) head and a sacrifice fly brought her home for a 3-0 score.
The Bulls followed up with a run when Allison Round rounded two bags before being sent home via a Pace double in the fifth. Sarah Chamberlain (Moses Lake, Wash.) would be the third pitcher to step on the Herd mound in the game and hit the first batter she faced to load the bases with one out. Chamberlain then forced two infield fly balls to get out of the frame with the Herd facing a four-run deficit and two innings remaining.
After a scoreless sixth for Marshall, Breanne Nasti-- two-time first team all-MAC selection--homered to left field to seal the 5-0 win.
The five-run loss is the worst the Herd's been dealt during the 2004 conference season.
Jessica Williams (Powder Springs, Ga.), Allison Webb (Wayne, W.Va.) and Amanda Williams (Powder Springs, Ga.) all had a hit apiece for MU.
Nielson registered the loss (12-16) after giving up two hits, two runs and two walks in the first inning. Stacey Evans (11-9) pitched the complete game without giving up a run and scattering three hits against the top offense in the MAC.
Game Two: Buffalo 5, Marshall 2
Buffalo exploded for three runs in the sixth inning to break open a tie game for a 5-2 win in game two of the doubleheader.
Similar to game one, Buffalo was able to tally a run in its first at-bat off an Ann Magur RBI single.
Marshall fought back with some scoring of its own in the fourth inning after J. Williams reached first on a single and after a wild pitch shoved her to second, Sierra Davenport (Tucson, Ariz.) slap-hit for a single and stole second to put two runners in scoring position. A passed ball sent J. Williams home for the Herd's first run of the day and Davenport took advantage of the situation when she stole home to give MU a 2-1 advantage.
Starting pitcher Abigail Harter (Monmouth, Ore.) would get into some trouble and the Herd's lead would be in jeopardy in the bottom of the same frame when the Bulls rallied for a pair of hits to put UB runners on first and second with one out. Nielson would replace Harter, give up one run and strike out one while the Herd defense managed to catch a Bull stealing to escape the inning with an even score .
The Herd would threaten again in the sixth frame when Davenport reached on an error and A. Williams would single to put two on with one out but Davenport would get caught stealing and Sarah Wilson (Washington, W.Va.) would ground-out to end MU's drive.
UB then contrived a big-time sixth inning which started off with a Nasti run and concluded when a pair of runners reached home after a mishandled grounder at Davenport for a 5-2 lead which the Herd would be unable to relinquish.
Nielson picked up her second loss of the day after coming in relief of Harter. The pair combined for ten hits and three earned runs while striking out three in the contest. Sophie Barstad notched the win for the Bulls after giving up one hit in four innings of work.
A. Williams led all Herd batters with two hits. Davenport had one run, one hit and a pair of stolen bases. Buffalo tallied ten hits to MU's five.
The Herd will likely need a win tomorrow against the Bulls to stay in contention for a playoff birth. The final game of the UB/MU series starts at 1 p.m.