BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Bowling Green State University softball team dropped a pair of games against the University at Buffalo on Sunday at the Medaille Sports Complex. The Bulls scored a pair of unearned runs for a 5-4, come-from-behind win in the opener, then picked up an 8-0 win in the nightcap.
After driving in a pair of runs in Saturday’s series opener, Wynnie Reid hit her first collegiate homer for the Falcons (8-24, 1-11 MAC) in Sunday’s first game. Sophie Weber hit a three-run round-tripper later that same inning, but the Bulls got a pair of unearned runs, then held on after BGSU loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh.
In the second game, the Bulls (10-19, 4-1 MAC) scored twice in the first, and walks led to runs in both the third and fourth frames, giving the hosts a five-run lead. UB had just four hits, all singles, in the first four innings.
But, the Bulls added three sixth-inning runs for the walk-off win.
SUNDAY’S FIRST GAME – HOW IT HAPPENED
BGSU’s Sydney Stepp and Buffalo’s Julia Tarantino each retired the first six batters they faced in the game, which began on Saturday afternoon. The contest was halted after two innings due to weather – the teams’ second delay of the day – and play resumed on Sunday.
Delaney Davis, the first batter on Sunday, singled to lead off the third, and Peyton Dolejs drew a two-out walk, but Tarantino got an inning-ending grounder that kept the game scoreless.
Scarlet Anderson entered the circle for the Falcons and worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the third, but the Bulls broke through in the fourth. Madison Fernimen led off with a double, and a Sara Kelly single put runners at the corners. Mia Mitchell followed with a sacrifice fly that broke the scoreless tie, and Tianna Williams then homered to give the hosts a three-run lead.
Mackenzie Krafcik entered the game and set down the next two hitters, and the Falcons would immediately rally.
After Tarantino got the first out of the fifth inning, Wynnie Reid hit the first homer of her collegiate career to get the Falcons on the scoreboard. Marti Henkel drew a walk, and Dolejs followed with a single, before Sophie Weber clubbed a three-run homer to put the Orange and Brown in the lead.
But, the Bulls would score a pair of runs with the aid of two BG errors, a wild pitch and a passed ball in the home half of the fifth.
BGSU mounted a rally in the seventh inning, with Henkel picking up a one-out single. Then, with two down, Weber and Reagan Williamson each walked to load the bases. But, Tarantino was able to strike out the next hitter to close out the win.
SUNDAY’S SECOND GAME – HOW IT HAPPENED
The Bulls took an early lead with a two-run first inning. Abbey Nagel led off with a single, then stole second and took third on a wild pitch. One out later, she would score on a passed ball. Lily Lauck walked, and after Mia Mitchell singled to put runners at the corners, a double-steal play enabled Lauck to double UB’s lead.
UB threatened in the second, with a pair of walks and a two-out wild pitch. But, BGSU starter Hannah Davies, who had two strikeouts in the inning, got Alexis Lucyshyn to hit a popup to short for the third out.
BGSU had gotten a second-inning baserunner on a UB error, and the Falcons’ first hit came off the bat of Marti Henkel with one out in the third. But, in each case, Buffalo starter Lucyshyn was able to keep the runner from advancing.
In the third, Kate Vara drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk to add to the Bulls’ lead.
The Falcons got a Reagan Williamson leadoff single in the fourth, but nothing else. Then, Nagel walked to lead off the bottom of the inning, before Lucyshyn singled. Another walk, to Lauck, loaded the bases before Madison Fernimen followed with a two-run single to make it a five-run game. Madi Young entered the circle and got Mitchell and Sara Kelly to hit back-to-back infield popups, before inducing Tianna Williams to hit an inning-ending grounder to Sophie Weber at third.
Young set down the Bulls in the fifth, allowing only a meaningless one-out single. But, UB walked it off in the sixth. After Young retired the first batter, a walk and a single put two runners on base for Kelly, who homered to give her team the win.
The Falcons are idle from competition for over a week. BGSU will host defending MAC champion Miami in a three-game series on April 11-12.
