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Bulls Fall To Northern Illinois, 4-1

Northern Illinois got on the board first, rallying for a run with two outs in the second inning. After a single up the left side, Ellen Stoddard hit a two-run home run to give the Huskies the lead. NIU added another run in the third inning, to take a three-run advantage.

Jennifer Biernacki

The Bulls finally were able to get a run on the board in the top of the fourth inning. Sophie Barstad (Canby, OR/Canby) reached base after she was hit for the second time in the game and was replaced by Jennifer Biernacki (Medina, NY/Medina) as a pinch runner. She advanced to second on a single to left field by Laura Kor (Beaverton, OR/Westview). Kor has now hit safely in four consecutive games for the Bulls. Both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Lacy Schneider (Idyllwild, CA/Hemet) and Biernacki scored on the next play, an error by the shortstop on a Colleen Greene (Cheektowaga, NY/Cleveland Hill) grounder. However, the Bulls stranded two runners on base as neither of the next two batters were able to get a hit.

The two-run defecit for UB was short-lived as Northern Illinois extended its lead with one more run in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Colleen Greene

Barstad pitched the complete game for the Bulls, but picked up the loss, dropping her to 9-19 on the season. Barstad allowed seven hits and four runs, while striking out five Huskies on the night. Lindsey LaChiana picked up the win for Northern Illinois, going the distance, allowing just four hits and one unearned run. She walked two and struck out three.

Buffalo and Northern Illinois warp up its two-game set tomorrow with a 2:00 pm start from Mary M. Bell Field.