Bulls Rally Against RedHawks to Split Doubleheader

Zilka earns her first homerun of the season

OXFORD, OH-The University at Buffalo softball team played a doubleheader against MAC rival Miami this afternoon. The games were originally scheduled as single Saturday-Sunday games but were changed to stay ahead of impending weather in the forecast for Sunday. The Bulls lost the first game of the afternoon, 10-2, but rallied in the second game to come up with the 2-1 win.

Terese Diaz

Miami took an early lead scoring a run in the first inning and two runs in the third inning, but Buffalo made a comeback in the top of the fourth scoring two runs of their own. Jaime Sheffler started things off for the Bulls, reaching base on a fielder’s choice. Erin Zilka walked to advance Sheffler. Kristin Waldron singled and advanced to second on the throw, giving Sheffler the score. With Zilka at third and Waldron at second, Terese Diaz walked to load the bases. Dana Carter hit an RBI single to advance Zilka home to bring the Bulls within one. Miami scored an unearned run in the bottom of the fourth inning off a Buffalo error. The Bulls let the game get away from them in the bottom of the fifth inning as the RedHawks went on to score six runs to finish off game one with a score of 10-2.

Diaz started game one on the mound for Buffalo, pitching four innings and striking out three. Sharon Barr replaced Diaz to finish up the game for the Bulls.

Buffalo started the second game off strong with a perfectly placed solo homerun from Zilka in the top of the first. The Bulls kept the RedHawks scoreless for the first three innings, before Miami matched Buffalo’s score with a homerun of their own. The fifth and sixth innings were scoreless for both teams, but the Bulls had an opportunity to score in the top of the sixth inning as Lindsey Hampton singled to third base and Candice Sheehan singled through the left side to put base runners at first and second. Zilka got on base off a fielding error on the shortstop to load the bases but the Bulls could not produce a run in the inning, setting up a dramatic seventh inning with the score tied at one. Diaz singled to the pitcher and Kristen Gallipani came in to pinch run at first base. Dominique Carcone singled to the catcher, advancing Gallipani to third. Carcone then stole second to put base runners at first and second. Alex Bejarano reached on a fielder’s choice to advance Carcone to third, sending Gallipani sliding home for the winning run, as Miami was not able to come up with a run in the bottom of the seventh.

Barr pitched the first six innings for UB, holding Miami to one run, while striking out three. Diaz finished game two for the Bulls.

Erin Zilka

Buffalo will return home for a four-game homestand against Akron and Ohio next weekend. The Bulls will play a doubleheader against Akron on Friday, April 10 at 1pm, and then single games against Ohio on Saturday, April 11 at 2pm and Sunday, April 12 at 1pm. All games will be played at Buffalo’s Nan Harvey Field.