Buffalo Sweeps BGSU in Saturday Twinbill

Saturday, April 16

Buffalo, NY

1:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

16-26, 4-9

Buffalo

13-27, 7-6

Bowling Green

Buffalo

Braiden Dillow - Apr 13 2016 v Miami - Amanda Cutcher photo

Braiden Dillow had 5 hits in Saturday's doubleheader (Amanda Cutcher photo)

April 16, 2016 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

The Falcons will look to bounce back in next weekend's series at Akron

By: BUFFALO, N.Y. (BGSU Athletic Communications)

The host University at Buffalo completed a sweep of a three-game weekend series with the Bowling Green State University softball team, downing the Falcons in a pair of Saturday (April 16) games at Nan Harvey Field. The Bulls won by scores of 9-3 and 10-5.

Senior Braiden Dillow led the Falcons (16-27, 4-10 MAC) at the plate, with five hits in the twinbill. Dillow was 3-for-3 with a double and two runs scored in the opener, and was one of three BGSU players with two hits in the second game.

GAME ONE STATISTICS: HTML | PDF
GAME TWO STATISTICS: HTML | PDF

But, the Bulls took early leads in each game. UB scored four first-inning runs in the opener, ahd had a 9-1 lead after three innings. In the nightcap, the hosts got a first-inning homer before scoring three times in the third and three more runs in the fourth.

Both teams had eight hits in the first game, but the Bulls also drew six walks. Four of those walks came in the first inning, and UB scored four times on just one hit in that opening frame. The hosts had seven runs and only three hits through two innings of play.

After UB starter Charlotte Miller retired the Falcons in order in the first, Savanna Norcio and Leandra Jew drew bases on balls to begin the bottom of the inning. Norcio was forced at third base on a grounder, but a wild pitch moved UB's runners to second and third, and a walk to Catrell Robertson loaded the bases.

Falcon freshman Kiley Sosby got the next hitter, Danielle Lallos, to hit a popup back to the circle, but a walk to Ashton Earnhardt plated the game's first run.

After a first-pitch ball to the next hitter, Brooke Parker replaced Sosby in the circle, but Lauren Gambone hit a ball to the wall in left-centerfield for a three-run double and a 4-0 UB lead. Falcon leftfielder Marisa Shook made a great diving catch of a Kenzie Koch drive near the warning track in left-center to end the inning, but the hosts had the lead.

Shook led off the second inning by beating out a roller to deep short, and one out later, Dillow lined a ball off of Miller for a single. Sophomore Morgan Evangelista was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and a hard-hit ball by Marina Cobbs resulted in a run. The UB shortstop was able to come up with the ball, but her only play was at third base, and Shook came home with the Falcons' first run. But, another fielder's choice grounder retired the side.

The Bulls, after scoring four times in the first inning, came up with three more runs in the second. Courtney Gilbert reached on an error to begin the inning, and Norcio's bloop single to shallow right put a pair of runners aboard. A sacrifice bunt mored the runners along, but Katie Weimer hit a three-run homer to left-center for a 7-1 UB lead. Weimer would homer in each end of the doubleheader.

The Falcons got a two-out single by Chelsea Raker in the third, but she was forced at second to end the inning.

In the bottom of the frame, BG retired the Bulls' leadoff batter for the first time in the series, as Earnhardt was a strikeout victim. But, Gambone singled just past diving Falcon shortstop Hannah Giammarino, and Koch followed with a single of her own through the left side.Then, Gilbert doubled to score both runners. She was thrown out trying to take third on the play, which proved fortuitous for the Falcons when the next hitter, Norcio, hit a double of her own. Jew popped up to third base to end the third, but the Bulls had a 9-1 lead.

BG got a run back in the fourth, when Dillow doubled with one out, and came around to score on Evangelista's single up the middle. Evangelista took second on the throw, and Cobbs beat out an infield grounder for a hit, with pinch-runner Alex Sorgi forced to hold at second. The runners moved up on a groundout, but a popup to third produced the third out.

The Falcons got another run in the sixth. Junior Haley Schrock beat out a grounder to the left side, and Dillow singled to right-center before Evangelista was hit by a Miller pitch for the second time in the game. The bases were loaded, but Schrock was forced at the plate on a grounder to second, for the first out.

Dillow scored on a Giammarino grounder, but a ground ball back to the circle retired the side.

Parker retired the Bulls in order in the bottom of the sixth, but UB reliever Lace Smith returned the favor in the seventh to close out the win.

Dillow, as mentioned, was a perfect 3-for-3 in the opener, scoring a pair of runs. The Bulls got 2-for-3 performances from both Norcio and Gambone, with the latter player driving in three runs.

Miller got the win in the circle, allowing three runs and eight hits in six innings. Both Miller and Smith struck out two Falcons and did not walk a batter.

Sosby took the loss for the Falcons. Parker worked five-and-a-third innings of relief, allowing four earned runs.

In the second game, the Bulls got a first-inning run on a Weimer solo homer with two outs.

The second inning saw Dillow lead off with a single against Smith, the game-two starter for the hosts. Schrock bunted Dillow to second, and an Evangelista single to left put runners at the corners. But, a grounder back to the circle was followed by a strikeout.

Sosby, the Falcons' starter, allowed only a two-out walk in the second inning before retiring the side, and the Falcons put several runners on base, but could not score, in the third.

Senior Molly Holliday reached on an error, and sophomore Kayla Gregory followed with a bunt single. But, Holliday rounded second and was thrown out trying to dive back. After a strikeout, Shook drew a walk after a long at-bat, but Dillow's soft liner was gloved by the second baseman for out number three. It was the first time Dillow was retired after going 4-for-4 to start the day.

Jew singled and Weimer walked to begin the home half of the third, and a walk to Robertson loaded the bases. Dillow replaced Sosby in the circle, and got Lallos to hit a fly ball to shallow left, with the runners forced to hold. But, back-to-back singles by Earnhardt and Gambone plated a run apiece, and Koch's grounder scored another run

Schrock singled to start the fourth, and the junior came all the way around to score when Evangelista doubled down the left-field line. Sorgi pinch-ran for Evangelista and got as far as third, but was stranded there.

The Bulls loaded the bases with one out in the fourth, on an infield single and a pair of walks. Dillow got Lallos to pop up to Raker at first base for the second out, but Earnhardt reached on a grounder to the right side. Second baseman Kayla Gregory made a diving stop, but the ball trickled away as each of the runners moved up a base and Norcio crossed the plate. Gambone singled and Koch walked, with each play scoring another run for a 7-1 lead.

The Falcons scored twice in the sixth. Dillow lined a ball off of the pitcher for the second time of the day, and it resulted in her fifth hit of the DH. Then, Schrock ripped a double to left-center to put runners at second and third. Evangelista's foul fly to right was caught, but each runner tagged and advanced, with Dillow scoring and Schrock taking third. Then, Cobbs hit a ball to right as well. The rightfielder made a leaping catch, but Schrock was able to score on the Falcons' second-straight sacrifice fly.

It was a 7-3 game, but the Bulls answered with three unearned runs in the bottom of the inning. Robertson reached on an error, and Earnhardt doubled with one out. Koch's two-out single scored pinch-runner Taylor Scott, and pinch-hitter Sarah Edwards singled to left to score both Earnhardt and Koch.

in the seventh, Holliday hit a looper just over the leaping UB shortstop, for a leadoff single. Pinch-hitter Katee Hinkle hit a grounder which resulted in Holliday being erased at second, but Hinkle took second on a wild pitch by Brieanna Baker. A fly ball to left produced the second out, but Shook hit a fly ball where no one could catch it, turning on a Baker pitch for a two-run homer to left.

The round-tripper was Shook's team-leading eighth of the year, but it was not enough as Baker retired the next batter to end the game.

Schrock and Evangelista each were 2-for-2 with a double Saturday's second game. Schrock also had a sac bunt and scored a pair of runs, while Evangelista had a sac fly and two RBI. Dillow was 2-for-4 to complete a DH which saw her go 5-for-7.

Earnhardt was 3-for-4 for the hosts, while Gambone had two hits in four trips. Both players had two RBI, while Koch drove in three teammates.

Smith picked up the victory, allowing three runs and seven hits in six innings of work. Sosby suffered the loss for the Brown and Orange.

The Falcons are idle until next weekend. BGSU will look to bounce back in a three-game series at Akron, beginning with a single game on Friday (April 22).

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