UB’s softball team (1-4, 0-0 MAC) kicked off their season in Las Vegas this weekend by attending the Desert Classic hosted by the University of Las Vegas (UNLV) (3-2, 0-0 MW).
The weekend kicked off Friday afternoon with the first of two meetings between the Bulls and Oregon Ducks (5-0, 0-0 PAC-12). The Ducks took a strong early lead, putting up 15 runs and holding Buffalo to none until the fourth inning. UB fell to the Ducks 1-21.
The next matchup was held later that evening, with Buffalo taking on hosts University of Las Vegas (3-2). Buffalo started the game off strong, with junior center fielder Lily Lauck hitting a single to center, earning two RBIs. UNLV wasn’t finished yet and was able to put up 11 runs in the last three innings, and defensively held UB to just three.
The first game of day two was a matchup against Southern Utah (1-4). The first inning was an almost even battle, with the Thunderbirds putting up a run, but the Bulls answered with two RBIs, another from centerfielder Lily Lauck and one from freshman center fielder/utility player Isabella Smithson.
The Bulls held strong defensively in the top of the third, allowing no runs. Offensively, Lauck earned another RBI after a single to tie the game at three. A big inning came for the Bulls in the fifth when Smithson slammed a homerun deep into left field, scoring two more runs for UB. Despite the efforts, UB was unable to catch the Thunderbirds, losing 7-10.
The second matchup of the day saw the second meeting between the Bulls and the Rebels. UB started the game off with Lauck adding yet another RBI. Continuing strong, UB was able to add an additional three runs; freshman outfielder Emily Gorman earned two RBIs off her double, with another RBI coming from junior first baseman Abbey Nagel. Closing out the game with their continued excellent defensive performance earned the win 6-0.
The final matchup of the classic for UB took place on Sunday against Oregon once again. Oregon took the lead early in the first but only put up one run. The Ducks were able to hold UB to their one in the fourth while adding four to their score. After a scoreless final three innings, UB could not catch Oregon, falling 1-8.
The Bulls are back in action Feb. 14 at Saint Francis University to take on the Red Flash. The game is set to start at 11 a.m.
The sports desk can be reached at sports@ubspectrum.com
