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Ann Magur

BUFFALO, NY - Buffalo took game one in eight innings, 1-0 thanks to a game-winning RBI by senior Ann Magur (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott/Connecticut), but the Canisius College Golden Griffins exploded for a 7-2 win in the nightcap to earn a split in today's non-conference softball doubleheader between the local rivals at Nan Harvey Field.

The Griffs (6-10) threatened early in game one when leadoff hitter Becky Owen reached third following a Buffalo throwing error on her slap bunt. Senior pitcher Stacey Evans (Collinsville, IL/Triad) got a short fly ball to left field, a pop out to second base and a fly ball to right field to get out of the jam. The Bulls then threatened in the bottom of the first inning, but also came up empty-handed. Magur started a two-out rally with a single up the middle. Freshmen Laura Kor (Beaverton, OR/Westview) and Lacy Schneider (Idyllwild, CA/Hemet) both drew walks to load the bases, but Canisius pitcher Andrea Bunten got a fly out to left field to end the inning. The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the eighth inning when sophomore Mary Russell (Apalachin, NY/Owego Free Academy), who began the inning at second base according to international tiebreaker rules, moved to third on a wild pitch. Magur then drove her in with the game-winning run with a single through the left side to give the Bulls the 1-0 victory. Evans and Bunten each gave up four hits and struck out six in the complete game. The shutout is the second of the year for Evans.

After five scoreless innings in game two, the Griffs broke things open with a six-hit, seven-run sixth inning, highlighted by an RBI-double by Jessica Martin and RBI-singles by Beth Enk, Ashley Gonnello, Natalie Osika and Owen. The Bulls committed two throwing errors after Owens' bases-loaded single to center that allowed the final two runs in the inning to score. Buffalo then got on the board in the bottom of the inning with two runs on three hits. A Canisius fielding error on a grounder by Kor allowed senior Julie Hibner (Salem, OR/South Salem) to score with the Bulls' first run, and Schneider drove in Magur with a single up the middle for their second and final run of the game. Sophomore pitcher Sophie Barstad (Canby, OR/Canby) took the loss for the Bulls, allowing seven hits and five earned runs while striking out five in 5.1 innings of work. Evans allowed three hits and no earned runs in the final 1.2 innings. Canisius' Jess Stackhouse allowed five hits and struck out four in 6.0 innings for the win.

The Bulls (10-23 overall, 5-5 Mid-American Conference) return to MAC action with a doubleheader at Northern Illinois on Saturday, April 16 at 1 pm.