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Stacey Evans

BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo softball team played two solid games to earn a doubleheader sweep of local rival Canisius College at the UB Softball Stadium this afternoon. The Bulls exploded for nine runs in the final three innings of game one for a 9-1 win before using a five-run third inning to overcome a two-run deficit in the nightcap, finally taking that game by a 6-4 margin. Sophomore pitcher Stacey Evans (Collinsville, IL/Triad) struck out eight batters in the opener to break her own school record for strikeouts in a season. Evans now has 105 strikeouts on the year after recording 101 strikeouts all of last season in her freshman campaign.

The Golden Griffins (11-23) got on the scoreboard first in the opener when Tessa Paolini drew a two-out bases-loaded walk in the second inning. The Bulls' bats came alive later in the game, with RBI-singles in the fourth by juniors Allison Round (Markham, Ontario/Markham District) and Marce Ross (Innisfil, Ontario/St. Peter's) and senior Jessica Kensy (Cheektowaga, NY/Maryvale) putting Buffalo ahead by a 3-1 score. Sophomore Ann Magur (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott) scored on a passed ball and Kensy drove in another run in the fifth to put the Bulls up 5-1, and they then ended the game in the bottom of the sixth inning with four runs on just one hit. Junior Breanne Nasti (Baldwin, NY/Baldwin) drove in a run with a single to left field and senior Kelly Malone (Waterford, MI/Waterford Kettering) brought home one run on a bases-loaded grounder to short. The throw to third base on the fielder's choice was mishandled, allowing both Nasti and Magur to score as well, putting the Bulls up by the 9-1 final. Evans allowed just five hits in the complete game for the Bulls for her eighth win of the season. Starting pitcher Courtney Piar suffered the loss for the Griffins, giving up six hits and three earned runs in 4.1 innings.

Magur scored the opening run of game two in the bottom of the first inning, crossing the plate on a two-out fly ball to left field by Malone that was dropped. Canisius responded with three runs in the top of the second, all scored with two outs, to take a 3-1 lead. Melissa King led off with a double to right and then scored on a double by Amanda Luukinen, and two more runs crossed the plate on a Buffalo throwing error following a slow ground ball that would have gotten the Bulls out of the inning. Buffalo took the game back in the bottom of the third, scoring five runs on four hits and two Canisius errors. Freshman Lauren Picciano (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott) scored the first run of the inning on a wild pitch, and Nasti then brought Magur home with a sacrifice fly to center field. Round then crossed the plate on another wild pitch, and singles by sophomore Julie Hibner (Salem, OR/South Salem) and Ross also drove in runs to give the Bulls a 6-3 lead. The Golden Griffins got one run in the top of the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Laura Miller before the game was called due to the weather. Senior Andrea Sage (Depew, NY/Depew) struck out five and allowed just five hits and two earned runs on the mound for the Bulls while Canisius' Andrea Bunten allowed six hits and three earned runs and struck out one.

Nasti led the Bulls' offense on the afternoon with a combined 3-for-4 performance from the plate with three runs scored and two RBIs. Ross and Kensy also drove in two runs apiece, and Picciano was 3-for-6 with two runs scored.

The Bulls (13-14, 3-6 Mid-American Conference) now take to the road for a three-game series at defending MAC Champion Central Michigan this weekend. The Bulls and the Chippewas will play a single game on Friday, April 18 at 3:30 pm and a doubleheader on Saturday, April 19 at 1 pm.