SOFTBALL

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Stacey Evans

DEKALB, IL - The University at Buffalo softball team swept a doubleheader at Northern Illinois this afternoon, 2-1 and 5-1. Senior pitcher Stacey Evans (Collinsville, IL/Triad) earned the save in game one and the win in game two, and freshman Laura Kor (Beaverton, OR/Westview) hit a two-run home run in the nightcap to highlight the offensive attack. The wins avenged an earlier 3-0 loss to the Huskies on February 26 at the Houston Tournament, and they improve the Bulls’ record to 12-23 overall and 7-5 in the Mid-American Conference.

The two teams left a combined 16 runners on base in game one, and all three runs were unearned in the seventh inning. UB put runners on second and third with one out in the top of the seventh thanks to a single by senior Melissa Pace (Long Beach, CA/Millikan) and an NIU error that allowed sophomore Mary Russell (Apalachin, NY/Owego Free Academy) to reach base. Freshman Marcy Hansen (Claremont, CA/Claremont) laid down a squeeze bunt, and Huskie pitcher Lindsey LaChiana’s throw home hit the plate and got past the catcher, allowing both Kerry Cafazzo (Everett, MA/Everett), pinch running for Pace, and Russell to score. NIU (19-18, 4-6 MAC) put runners on second and third with no outs in the bottom of the inning with a walk and a double by Lauren von Holst. A Buffalo error allowed one Huskie run to score and put the game-tying run on third base with one out, but Evans came on in relief and got a pop up to right field for the second out in the inning and then struck out Kathy Dearborn to end the game.

Sophomore Sophie Barstad (Canby, OR/Canby) earned the win for the Bulls, allowing five hits and no earned runs while striking out six in 6.1 innings. LaChiana suffered the loss despite also allowing five hits and no earned runs while striking out seven in 6.1 innings.

The UB offense exploded in game two with a two-hit, four-run third inning to take control of the game. Russell led of the inning with a bunt single, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. She then scored the game’s first run on a squeeze bunt by senior Ann Magur (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott/Connecticut). Hansen scored the Bulls’ second run on a passed ball after reaching base on a walk, and Kor then hit her second homer of the season, a two-run shot to left field to give the Bulls a 4-0 lead. Junior Lauren Picciano (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott) doubled and then scored on an RBI-single by Hansen in the fourth inning to give Buffalo an added insurance run. Northern Illinois finally got on the board in the bottom of the sixth thanks to back-to-back doubles by Dearborn and Ellen Stoddard. The Huskies put runners on first and second with one out in the seventh, but Evans got a fielder’s choice for the second out in the inning and then forced Dearborn to pop out to first to end the game.

Evans struck out four and allowed five hits in the complete-game victory, while Paige Granath allowed eight hits and struck out four in the loss.

The Bulls host Central Michigan in a doubleheader on Wednesday, April 20 at 2 pm at Nan Harvey Field.