Softball went 2-2 over the weekend at the Lions Classic in Hammond, LA to improve their record to 7-7. The Bulls split with both of their opponents, Marist College and Southeastern Louisiana University.
Buffalo lost its first game of the trip, 2-1, to Marist in extra innings despite producing six hits compared to Marist’s four. Junior pitcher Alexis Lucyshyn struck out five and didn’t walk anyone. Lucyshyn allowed one earned run but defensive errors in the eighth allowed the winning run to cross the plate.
A solo homer from sophomore infielder Rachel Steffan in the top of the sixth was the Bulls’ sole run in the contest.
Buffalo found its groove in the second game of the double-header in a 5-2 win over Southeastern Louisiana. Sophomore pitcher Julia Tarantino allowed 10 hits and one walk while striking out four batters. The Bulls had seven timely hits and four RBIs in the winning effort.
Lucyshyn was 1-for-3 at the plate with one walk, two strikeouts and two RBIs, courtesy of a first inning homer.
Graduate utility player Anna Aguon was 2-for-4 at the plate with two hits — a single to right-center in the top of the fourth and a double to left-center in the top of the third.
Steffan tripled in the top of the third to give UB a two run advantage (3-1). The Bulls mustered two runs in the fourth thanks to a defensive error by Southeastern and a triple from junior infielder Briana Castro. The Lions scored in the bottom of the sixth to cut the deficit to three (5-2), but Buffalo’s defense got it together to hold them in the seventh.
The Bulls mercied Marist College, 9-1, thanks to smart at-bats and aggressive baserunning. Lucyshyn had four strikeouts, one walk and allowed two hits in the five innings played. The Calgary, Alberta native went 2-for-3 at the plate with four RBIs.
Steffan went 1-for-2 at the plate with two RBIs, two walks and a stolen base. Aguon walked twice and scored both times she made it on base. Senior outfielder Alexis Matheney walked twice and had a stolen base in the winning effort.
A double from Castro in the fourth inning brought in two runs to push the Bulls ahead 4-1. A single from Steffan and back-to-back walks with the bases loaded gave UB a 6-1 advantage at the end of the fourth inning.
Three walks and two hits — a double from junior catcher Celyna Shaw and a single from Lucyshyn — gave Buffalo three quick runs to execute the mercy rule, which ends the game when either team has an eight-run advantage in the bottom of the fifth. Six Bulls combined for twelve walks in the victory.
Buffalo could not muster a single run in an 8-0, six inning loss to Southeastern. UB’s bats were silenced, with Castro having the sole hit of the game.
Tarantino gave up 11 hits and struck out two batters.
The Bulls will travel to Lexington this weekend to play in Kentucky’s Bluegrass Classic from March 11-13.
Kayla Sterner is an assistant sports editor and can be reached at kayla.sterner@ubspectrum.com
Kayla Sterner is an assistant sports editor at The Spectrum. She is studying communications with the hopes of being a sideline reporter. In her spare time, she can be found in the gym, watching football or vibing to Mac Miller. Kayla is on Twitter @kaylasterner.
Photo: Ryan Hagen | UB Athletics
