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MIAMI, FL - The University at Buffalo softball team was named Co-Champion of the Florida International Tournament this afternoon following a 2-0 win over the host Golden Panthers. The Bulls shared the tournament title with Tennessee, a 5-0 winner over Furman in the other semifinal game. Due to Tennessee's travel schedule, no championship game was played. The Lady Vols finished the tournament with a 4-1 record, with their only loss coming at the hands of the Bulls, 8-2, on the opening day of the tournament. The Bulls finished the tournament with a 3-2 mark to get the 2003 season off to an strong start.

Stacey Evans

The Golden Panthers defeated the Bulls by a 5-1 score on Saturday, and the Bulls came in to the game ready to avenge that loss. Buffalo broke open the tightly-contested rematch in the sixth inning, scoring two runs on three hits and one FIU error. Junior Allison Round (Markham, Ontario/Markham District) led off the inning with a single up the middle, and junior Marce Ross (Innisfil, Ontario/St. Peter's) then reached on a throwing error. Junior Breanne Nasti (Baldwin, NY/Baldwin) drove in Round with a single up the middle, and sophomore Julie Hibner (Salem, OR/South Salem) brought Ross home with an insurance run with a single to left field. That was all the offense the Bulls would need, thanks to another strong pitching performance by sophomore Stacey Evans (Collinsville, IL/Triad). Evans threw her third complete game and earned her third win of the year, striking out eight and allowing just four hits for her first shutout of the season.

Evans allowed just one earned run in 21 innings during the tournament for a 0.33 earned run average while striking out 26 batters and giving up 18 hits. Nasti led the Bulls' offense in the tournament, going 9-for-17 (.529) with one double, four runs batted in and four runs scored.

The Bulls (3-2) will travel to Hawaii later this week to participate in the Malihini Invitational from Thursday, March 6 through Sunday, March 9.