SOFTBALL

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CLEARWATER, FL - The University at Buffalo softball team dropped its first two games at the 25-team Speedline Classic, hosted by the University of South Florida. The Bulls began the day with a 9-2 loss to Massachusetts in nine innings before falling to Brigham Young by a 4-1 score. BYU is receiving votes in both the USA Today/NFCA and ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 25 polls.

Mary Russell

A two-run home run by Hilary Puglia in the top of the first inning gave UMass an early lead, and the score remained 2-0 until the Bulls tied things up in the bottom of the sixth. Freshman Marcy Hansen (Claremont, CA/Claremont) reached on an error to lead off the inning, and a double to left center by sophomore Mary Russell (Apalachin, NY/Owego Free Academy) drove her in with the Bulls' first run of the game. Freshman Lacy Schneider (Idyllwild, CA/Hemet) followed with a single to center to score Russell and knot the game at 2-2. After two scoreless innings, the Minutewomen emphatically took the lead with a six-hit, seven-run ninth inning, highlighted by a two-run double by Puglia and a two-run home run by Pam Sulick. The Bulls went down in order in the bottom of the ninth to end the game. Senior Stacey Evans (Collinsville, IL/Triad) suffered the loss on the mound, pitching the complete game and allowing 10 hits and eight earned runs while striking out five. Barb LaFogg was credited with the win for UMass after pitching three scoreless innings in relief and striking out six.

The Bulls then dropped a 4-1 decision to Brigham Young to end the first day of the Speedline Classic. Junior Lauren Picciano (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott) reached on an error and then scored on an error to give the Bulls a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning. BYU put together three straight singles in the bottom of the inning and then tied the score on a groundout by Paige Paramore. The Cougars scored twice in the bottom of the fifth with Lauren Watson-Perry doubling to drive in a run and then scoring on a Buffalo error. They added one more insurance tally in the sixth on an RBI-double by Ariel Capra to complete the scoring. Senior Julie Hibner (Salem, OR/South Salem) broke up the Cougars' no-hitter with a two-out single in the top of the seventh, but BYU's Ashlyn Russell snagged a line drive at third base by senior Melissa Pace (Long Beach, CA/Millikan) to end the game. Junior Theresa Gugger (Binghamton, NY/Susquehanna Valley/Oneonta State) went the distance on the mound for the Bulls, allowing seven hits and three earned runs and striking out two. Summer Tobias was credited with the win, pitching 6.0 no-hit innings and striking out six. Niki Anderson struck out two of the four batters she faced in the seventh in relief.

The Bulls will play Illinois-Chicago at 4 pm and Jacksonville at 6 pm on Friday to complete bracket play. The tournament continues on Saturday and Sunday with games being determined based on seeding.