Bulls Best BGSU, 3-0, in MAC Opener at Meserve

Friday, March 15

Bowling Green, Ohio

3 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

1-14, 0-1

Buffalo

9-11, 1-0

Buffalo

Bowling Green

Scarlet Anderson - March 12, 2024 at Notre Dame

Photo by: Emma Wanyek, BGSU Athletics

March 15, 2024 | Softball

Box Score

By: by Mike Cihon, BGSU Strategic Communications

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – University at Buffalo pitcher Alexis Lucyshyn used her arm as well as her glove to help the Bulls to a 3-0 win over the Bowling Green State University softball team Friday afternoon (March 15). The game, the Mid-American Conference opener for both teams, was held at Meserve Field.

Lucyshyn threw a complete-game shutout for the Bulls (9-11, 1-0 MAC), allowing just three hits. And, she made four defensive plays in the circle – one in each of the first four innings – that turned likely hits into outs.

Scarlet Anderson had a solid outing in the circle for the Falcons (1-14, 0-1 MAC), allowing just one earned run and six hits before leaving in the sixth inning. Marti Henkel had two BGSU's three hits, while Aaralyn Nogay had a hit and a walk.

NOTE OF THE DAY: HENKEL'S HOT HITTING
• Sophomore Marti Henkel has reached base in six-straight plate appearances, and has raised her season batting average from .158 to .304 in that time.
• Henkel was 2-for-2 with a pair of walks in Tuesday's (March 12) second game at Notre Dame, a narrow 10-9 loss. She led off the second inning with a single, walked twice in the same inning – BGSU's seven-run fourth – and singled again in the sixth.
• On Friday, Henkel led off the third inning with a single, then had a one-out hit in the fifth. She was on deck when the game ended.

ALSO NOTEWORTHY
• It's safe to say the Falcons are running more in 2024 than in '23. BGSU had a pair of stolen bases on Friday (both by freshman Aaralyn Nogay), giving the Falcons a total of 18 in this season's first 15 games. Last year, the Falcons stole a total of 16 bases in 50 games.

BGSU-BUFFALO – HOW IT HAPPENED
• The Bulls scored an unearned run in the top of the first inning. Madison Fernimen led off the game by drawing a walk, and a single by Abbey Nagel put runners at the corners with nobody out. With Lucyshyn at the plate, a passed ball allowed Ferniman to cross the plate. BGSU starter Scarlet Anderson then got Lucyshyn to ground out before striking out each of the next two hitters.
• Aaralyn Nogay walked to begin the BG half of the first, and the freshman stole second base with one out. Reagan Williamson than hit a hard smash toward the circle, but Lucyshyn got her glove on the ball. Instead of going up the middle for a single, the ball caromed to second baseman Tianna Williams, who threw to first for the out. With Nogay now at third, Cameron Kaufman hit a soft liner to the right side, but Williams ranged to her right to make the catch.
• Anderson retired the Bulls in order in the second, and after the first two Falcons went down, Peyton Dolejs hit a scorcher back up the middle. Lucyshyn, however, knocked the ball down and threw to first to end the inning.
• In the third, UB threatened to add to the lead, but after a leadoff walk, second baseman Wynnie Reid grabbed a liner off the bat of Fernimen and threw to first base in plenty of time to double up the runner. Nagel followed with a single and Lucyshyn drew a walk, but Anderson retired cleanup hitter Mia Mitchell on an infield grounder.
• The BG third saw Marti Henkel lead off with a sharp single, and Nogay's perfectly-executed drag bunt resulted in a base hit. Lucyshyn struck out the next batter, then made another nice play of a hot shot by Williamson, throwing to third to get the lead runner.
• UB put two runners in scoring position with just one out in the fourth on a single by Lily Lauck and a Lyla Ambrose double. Julia Tarantino hit a grounder to the right side of the infield, and Reid fielded it and fired home, where catcher Henkel applied the tag on Lauck for the second out.
• The next batter, Alyssa Wasielewski, hit a sharp grounder to the right side, but Reid made a diving stop and threw to first from her knees for out number three.
• Lucyshyn's streak of innings with nifty defensive plays reached four when Hannah Hunt lined a ball right back to the circle. The UB pitcher, however, somehow caught it for the second out, and shortstop Wasielewski made a nice play by going into the hole to grab an Anderson grounder and firing to first in time.
• Anderson worked out of a jam in the fifth, retiring two-straight batters after UB put runners on first and second with one out. Henkel picked up her second hit of the game in the bottom of the inning, but BG could not get the runner past second.
• The Bulls picked up a pair of valuable runs in the sixth. After a leadoff single by Williams and a one-out walk to Reagan Terwilliger, Emma Denison replaced Anderson in the circle with a 2-0 count on Wasielewski. Wasielewski wound up drawing a walk to load the bases, and Fernimen lifted a ball to right-center field for a sacrifice fly. Two runs wound up scoring on the play when the ball was dropped, but Denison responded by striking out Nagel and getting Lucyshyn to hit an inning-ending fly ball to left.
• But, the insurance runs were more than enough for the Bulls, as Lucyshyn retired the side in order in both the sixth and seventh innings.

STATS, NOTES & NUMBERS
• The Bulls had a total of six hits in Friday's game, with Nagel going 3-for-4 to lead the way. Three of her teammates had one hit apiece, and Lucyshyn and Wasielewski each walked twice.
• Henkel, as mentioned, had two of BGSU's three hits. Nogay had a hit and a walk in Friday's contest.
• In the circle, Lucyshyn allowed no runs and just three hits, walking two and striking out four.
• Anderson gave up just one earned run and six hits for the Falcons in 5 1/3 innings of work, striking out three.
• Denison got the final five outs in her Meserve Field debut, with a pair of strikeouts.

UP NEXT
• The Falcons and Bulls complete their three-game weekend series with a Saturday (March 16) doubleheader. First pitch of game one begins at 1:00 p.m.
• Then, BGSU will step outside of conference play for a Tuesday (March 19) twinbill at Youngstown State, before returning home for next weekend's (March 22-23) Toledo series.

FOLLOW THE FALCONS
• For more information on BGSU softball, follow the Falcons on Twitter (@BGAthletics and @BGSUSoftball) and Instagram (@bgsu_softball) as well as on the web right here at BGSUFalcons.com.