SOFTBALL

Roster  |  Coaches  |  Schedule / Results  |  News

BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo softball team ended Miami's nine-game winning streak by sweeping a doubleheader from the visiting RedHawks this afternoon at the UB Softball Stadium. The Bulls earned a 1-0 win in game one and then held on for a 3-2 win in game two to improve to 17-17 overall and 6-9 in the Mid-American Conference. Junior Breanne Nasti (Baldwin, NY/Baldwin) led the Buffalo offense with three hits, one run scored and one run batted in on the afternoon.

Andrea Sage

The Bulls recorded their only two hits in game one in the first inning with junior Dominique Jones (Jamesville, NY/Jamesville-DeWitt) hitting a single to left and then coming around to score on a double by Nasti, her 11th double of the season. The RedHawks (20-20, 12-9 MAC) stranded eight runners on base in the game, at least one in every inning except the seventh. They stranded two runners on base in both the first and the fourth innings, and then threatened with a runner on third in the sixth. Allison Maxey doubled with two outs in the inning and then moved to third on a wild pitch, but starting pitcher Andrea Sage (Depew, NY/Depew) got designated player Sarah Buffie to strike out looking to end the inning. Sage allowed six hits and struck out six to earn the complete game shutout victory. Miami’s Courtney Salmon suffered the loss despite striking out seven and allowing just two hits.

In game two, sophomore Ann Magur (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott) led off the bottom of the first with a double to right center and then scored on a double to right by senior Kelly Malone (Waterford, MI/Waterford Kettering) to put the Bulls up 1-0 early on.

Lauren Picciano

The RedHawks took advantage of two Buffalo errors in the top of the fourth inning to tie the game at 1-1, but the Bulls went back on top with a two-run, three-hit sixth inning. Nasti led off the inning with a single through the right side of the infield and then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Stacey Evans (Collinsville, IL/Triad). Freshman Lauren Picciano (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott) followed with a bunt single that moved Nasti to third. Picciano then broke for second base where nobody was covering as Miami's Jessica Zogaib tried to catch up to her and tag her out, and Nasti ran home and beat Zogaib's throw to the plate for Buffalo's second run of the game. Junior Jessica Labella (Kings Park, NY/Kings Park) then singled to right to score Picciano to put the Bulls up 3-1. Maxey led off the top of the seventh with a solo home run to straightaway center field, but Buffalo's defense held on for the 3-2 win. Junior Heather Robbins (West Bloomfield, MI/West Bloomfield) pitched the complete game, allowing six hits and striking out four for her third win of the year. Miami pitcher Jackie Poggendorf struck out 10, including six in a row between the third and fifth innings, and allowed seven hits in the loss.

The Bulls are at Western Michigan for a 3 pm doubleheader on Tuesday, April 29 before returning home for their final three-game series of the regular season against Akron on Saturday, May 3 and Sunday, May 4. Saturday's doubleheader and Sunday's single game will both begin at 1 pm. In-between games one and two on Saturday, there will be a special ceremony during which the UB Softball Stadium will be renamed Nan Harvey Field in recognition of a monetary gift from Nan Harvey, UB Associate Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator.