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Bulls Advance In Bronze Medal Bracket

The Bulls fell to UIC, 3-1, in the first game of the day, but worse news for the Bulls than the final score was that they will be playing without senior Lauren Picciano (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott) as she was hit by a pitch, which broke her arm. She will be out for an indefinite period of time.

Sophie Barstad

UIC took a 3-0 lead in the contest, scoring one run in the third and two in the fifth. The Bulls attempted to make a comeback in the sixth, but came up short. Picciano was hit by a pitch with one out in the sixth and was replaced by freshman Dana Carter (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) as a pinch runner. Junior Sophie Barstad (Canby, OR/Canby), who was charged with the loss, reached base on an error and after a fielder's choice, where Carter was out at third, freshman Erin Zilka (Benicia, CA/Benicia) hit a single to load the bases with two outs. Senior Lisa Wheat (Olympia, WA/Tumwater) was hit by a pitch to drive in the only run for UB.

Barstad pitched a complete game for Buffalo, but picked up the loss allowing three earned runs, while striking out just one.

For the second time this season the Bulls defeated Boston University, but this time in a thriller that saw Buffalo win a 7-4 contest in 10 innings.

Laura Kor

The Bulls had an early lead in the contest, but in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Terriers tied up the game to force the extra innings. With the international tiebreaker rule - the teams begin extra innings with a runner on second base - the Bulls scored four runs in the 10th innings for the victory. Marcy Hansen (Claremont, CA/Claremont) began the inning on second and Mary Russell (Apalachin, NY/Owego Free Academy) dropped a sacrifice bunt that the Boston University infield threw away, scoring Hansen from second. Colleen Greene (Cheektowaga, NY/Cleveland Hill) hit into a fielder's choice, moving Russell over to third. Sophomore Laura Kor (Beaverton, OR/Westview) walked on four straight pitches and Barstad then drove all of them home as she hit a monster three-run home run to left center field, putting UB up by four. Boston University scored one in the bottom of the inning, but the Bulls came away with the win.

After pitching a complete game in the first contest of the day, Barstad remained on the mound and pitched all 10 innings for Buffalo.

The Bulls now play Jacksonville in the bronze medal bracket semifinals at 9:30 am tomorrow morning. The winner goes on to play for the bronze at 11:30 am.