UB Softball Weekly Release

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UB Opens Season at K-Club Classic

The University at Buffalo softball team kicked off its 2009 campaign at the K-Club Classic on Friday in Kennesaw, GA, taking on MAC rival Miami and Drexel on Friday, followed by a pair of games against Memphis and Iowa on Saturday.

Terese Diaz

Bulls Fall RedHawks

Miami scored five of their nine runs in the first inning, digging Buffalo into a hole they could not get out of. In the second inning, freshman Terese Diaz singled to right center, recording her first career hit, and Buffalo’s first of the game. Dana Carter followed in her footsteps, singling to the right side of the field. The RedHawks however, continued to build their lead, scoring four more runs in the top of the fourth inning. Sharon Barr threw the complete game, striking out three batters at the plate for the Bulls.

Buffalo Defeats Drexel

In the Friday nightcap, both teams went scoreless in the first three innings, but Buffalo struck first as Kristen Gallipani singled through the left side and then stole second. Candice Sheehan doubled to left field, earning the RBI as Gallipani scored. Drexel earned three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, but Buffalo responded as Sheehan started the inning with a single out to third base. Senior Erin Zilka followed with a hit to second base, advancing Sheehan to third. Kristin Waldron hit a single to left field, allowing Sheehan to score. Diaz singled up the middle, giving Zilka the go ahead run and Waldron scored off a sac bunt from Carter to make the score 4-3 at the end of the sixth and ultimately sealing Buffalo’s first win of the season.

Buffalo Takes Memphis in Extra Innings

The Bulls won their second game of the weekend, defeating the Tigers 2-1 in nine innings. Waldron opened Buffalo’s hitting, doubling to left center in the top of the second inning, but was unable to produce a run on the play. After three scoreless innings Zilka doubled to right center, allowing her to score off Diaz’s line drive to center field, putting the Bulls up 1-0. A one out home run in the bottom of the seventh inning from Memphis’ Tori Gross knotted the game at one, sending the Bulls and the Tigers to extra innings. The winning run came from an RBI single by Zilka in the top of the ninth and the Tigers could not counter, sealing the Buffalo win. Buffalo’s winning run came after moving the runner on second to third with a sac bunt by Barr. Zilka then singled her in with a hit to left field. Diaz earned her second win on the mound, striking out 11 on the day. Diaz ended the weekend at 2-0 with a 1.75 ERA.

Kristen Gallipani

Buffalo vs. Iowa

To close out the weekend, Buffalo took on Iowa, losing a hard fought game, 4-0. Gallipani, Barr, Zilka, Waldron, Katie Ivancich and Lindsey Hampton all had hits in the game, but could not produce a run against the defensive Hawkeyes. Iowa earned all four of their runs in the fifth inning and Buffalo couldn’t counter.

Next Up

Buffalo ended their opening weekend 2-2 and will travel to Raleigh, NC for the NC State Tournament next weekend starting with the College of Charleston on Friday, February 27 at 10:00 am.