SOFTBALL

Roster  |  Coaches  |  Schedule / Results  |  News

Julie Hibner

AKRON, OH - The University at Buffalo softball team evened its Mid-American Conference record at 2-2 and improved to 11-14 overall with a 2-0 shutout of Akron this afternoon at Buchtel Field. Junior Julie Hibner (Salem, OR/South Salem) hit a two-out single in the top of the fifth inning to score freshman Mary Russell (Apalachin, NY/Owego Free Academy) and senior Dominique Jones (Jamesville, NY/Jamesville-DeWitt) with the only two runs of the game.

Jones had reached base on a walk and advanced to second when Akron (15-15, 1-6 MAC) shortstop Megan MacKenzie made an error on a fielder's choice by sophomore Lauren Picciano (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott). Russell came in to pinch run for Picciano, and a sacrifice bunt by senior Marce Ross (Innisfil, Ontario/St. Peter's) moved both Jones and Russell over to set up Hibner's two-RBI single. The Bulls had knocked on the door early on, leaving one runner on base in the third and two runners on base in the fourth before finally breaking the scoreless tie. Hibner was 2-for-4 in the game, as was senior Breanne Nasti (Baldwin, NY/Baldwin), to lead the Bulls' offense.

Stacey Evans

Picciano was 1-for-2 in her first game back in the lineup after fracturing her leg in the Bulls' season opener against Virginia Tech on February 13, and junior Melissa Pace (Long Beach, CA/Millikan) also had one hit in the game.

Junior Stacey Evans (Collinsville, IL/Triad) pitched her 10th complete game and her third shutout of the season, allowing just two hits and striking out three. Tina McCauley suffered the loss for the Zips, going all seven innings and allowing six hits and no earned runs while striking out eight.

The Bulls and the Zips will conclude their three-game series with a doubleheader tomorrow at Buchtel Field beginning at 1 pm.