SOFTBALL

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BUFFALO, NY - The University at Buffalo softball team split its 2004 home-opening doubleheader with the visiting Bowling Green Falcons this afternoon at Nan Harvey Field. Game one was a defensive duel that featured two of the top pitchers in the Mid-American Conference, and the Bulls (13-16, 4-4 MAC) made a 1-0 lead after one inning of play stand up for their fifth shutout of the year. Bowling Green (18-21, 5-5 MAC) responded with a 4-0 shutout of its own in the nightcap.

Shannon Prochaska

In the opener, the Bulls got on the board in the bottom of the first inning when freshman Shannon Prochaska's (Aloha, OR/Aloha) two-out pop fly dropped in shallow right field, allowing senior Breanne Nasti (Baldwin, NY/Baldwin) to score from second. Buffalo threatened in the fourth when Prochaska led off the inning with a single, stole second and advanced to third on a single by junior Melissa Pace (Long Beach, CA/Millikan). She was then tagged out at the plate on an attempted squeeze bunt play. The Bulls continued their pressure and loaded the bases, but BGSU pitcher Liz Vrabel got senior Marce Ross (Innisfil, Ontario/St. Peter's) to strike out looking to end the inning. The Falcons got out of another bases-loaded jam with one out in the fifth, with Vrabel getting Pace to pop up to third and senior Allison Round (Markham, Ontario/Markham District) to strike out. Buffalo held on to the one-run lead, however, thanks to the pitching of junior Stacey Evans (Collinsville, IL/Triad). Evans struck out seven and allowed just five hits while extending her streak of innings pitched without an earned run to 43.2. Vrabel allowed seven hits and struck out four.

The Falcons first struck in the fourth inning of the nightcap, getting two hits and taking advantage of two Buffalo errors to score one run. Gina Rango then belted a three-run home run to left center in the fifth inning to give BGSU the 4-0 advantage. The Bulls' lone hit of the game came in the bottom of the fifth, a line drive single down the left field line by freshman pitcher Sophie Barstad (Canby, OR/Canby). BGSU's Jody Johnson pitched the complete-game one-hitter and struck out five. Barstad went the distance for the Bulls, allowing eight hits and striking out six.

The Bulls are next in action this weekend when they travel to Ohio for a three-game series with the Bobcats. Saturday's doubleheader and Sunday's single game both begin at 1 pm.