SOFTBALL

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BUFFALO, NY - The University at Buffalo softball team (8-29, 3-12 MAC) split a doubleheader with the Northern Illinois Huskies (12-23, 7-6 MAC), the defending MAC West Division champions, this afternoon at the UB Softball Stadium. The Bulls got out to an early lead in game one and held on for a 6-2 win before the Huskies rebounded for a 5-2 victory in game two behind the pitching of Courtney Witvliet, last year's MAC Pitcher of the Year.

The Bulls went ahead 1-0 in the first inning of the opening game when freshman Marce Ross (Barrie, Ontario/St. Peter's) singled and came around to score on a single by freshman Breanne Nasti (Baldwin, NY/Baldwin) that was then mishandled by NIU's right fielder. The Huskies took the lead in the third inning when they scored two runs on three hits, but Buffalo answered right back with two runs in the bottom of the inning to regain the lead, 3-2. Ross led off the inning with a single through the left side of the infield, and she scored on a single by freshman Heather Robbins (West Bloomfield, MI/West Bloomfield). Robbins crossed the plate with the go-ahead run on an RBI single by sophomore Jessica Kensy (Cheektowaga, NY/Maryvale). Buffalo added three insurance runs in the sixth inning with Ross hitting a double to drive in senior Stacee Madden (Corning, NY/Corning East/Allegheny College) and freshman Allison Round (Markham, Ontario/Markham District) and Nasti driving in Ross with an RBI single. Sophomore Andrea Sage (Depew, NY/Depew) got her third win of the year on the mound, allowing just five hits and striking out three batters. The Bulls finished the game with nine hits off of NIU starter Amy Krahula.

In the nightcap, the Huskies took an early 1-0 lead when a foul sacrifice fly scored the first run of the game in the first inning. NIU then went ahead 3-0 in the third thanks to a two-run home run by Gretchen Szymski, and Buffalo's Nasti put the Bulls on the board in the fourth with a leadoff homer, her 10th of the season. The Huskies, however, extended their lead to 5-1 in the sixth when a single by Kelly Redican scored two runs. Buffalo's Ross led off the Bulls' half of the sixth inning with a double and she scored on an error by the NIU third baseman on a hit ball by senior Kim Lawrence (Hamburg, NY/Hamburg/Erie CC), but that was as close at the Bulls would get. NIU's Witvliet struck out six batters and allowed just five hits while the Huskies collected 10 hits off of Buffalo's Kensy, who suffered her second loss of the year.

Ross finished the afternoon 5-for-7 from the plate with two doubles, four runs scored and two RBIs. Nasti was 4-for-7 with a double, a home run and two RBIs in the two games.

The Bulls will play a doubleheader at Canisius College on Tuesday, April 17 at 3 pm before finishing the home portion of their 2001 schedule next weekend. Buffalo will host to Bowling Green in a single game on Friday, April 20 at 3 pm and in a doubleheader on Saturday, April 21 at 1 pm.