The University softball team struggled mightily over the weekend as it was swept in a series with the Bulls of The University of Buffalo. The Falcons’ overall record currently stands at 16-27 and 4-10 in Mid-American Conference play.
At the start, the Falcons were able to get out of first and second inning jams as they only allowed one run in those first two innings.
Buffalo turned up the intensity in the next two innings and was able to produce three runs in the third inning and five runs in the fourth inning.
The score would remain the same and Buffalo would cruise to a victory over the Falcons in five innings. Pitching woes and an inability to get runs on the board were the deciding factors for the Falcons’ lopsided loss.
In addition, the team was only able to gather two hits throughout the game, compared to Buffalo’s 10. BG also had two errors that contributed to Buffalo’s scoring.
In the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, Buffalo picked up right where they left off as it got on the board when BG pitcher Brooke Parker gave up a walk with bases loaded, giving Buffalo a 1-0 edge. With the bases loaded once again, Buffalo’s Lauren Gambone hit a three RBI double towards left center and Buffalo’s lead grew to 4-0 in the top of the first.
BG would get on the board in the bottom of the first as senior Marina Cobbs would reach on a fielder’s choice as the bases were loaded. Cobbs received the RBI with BG still trailing Buffalo, 4-1.
Buffalo would then respond quickly in the bottom of the second as Katie Weimer hit a three-run homer towards left center to give the Bulls a 7-1 lead. The team would then increase its score in the bottom of the third as Courtney Gilbert hit a double towards right center that added two more runs, the lead now being 9-1.
In the top of the fourth, sophomore Morgan Evangelista hit an RBI single that went up the middle towards second base, giving the Falcons another run added to the scoreboard and narrowing the deficit to seven points. Buffalo’s big lead was too much for the BG to overcome as they fell 9-3 in game one of Saturday’s doubleheader.
The second game of Saturday’s doubleheader held much of the same story, Buffalo scoring off a homerun early on in the game.
Buffalo notched a few more points as it produced three hits despite the pitching change for BG during the third inning. This would lead up to three more runs and a 4-0 Bulls’ lead in the bottom of the third.
The team would get its first point on the board in the top of the fourth when Evangelista hit an RBI double down the left field line.
The Falcons, though, would only manage to get one run in as they trailed 4-1.
Buffalo tallied another three hits in the following inning as it was able to take advantage of the walks given to them. With bases loaded, the Bulls added three more runs to their scoreboard and the team would have a comfortable 7-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth.
Bowling Green would not score until the top of the sixth when Evangelista and Cobbs both hit sacrifice flies to put two more runs on the board with BG still trailing 7-3.
Despite senior Marisa Shook’s two-run homer in the top of the seventh, the Falcons were unable to get the win and Buffalo earned its sweep of the season series.
“We gave up way too many walks and defensively we played back on our heels,” Falcons’ head coach Sarah Willis said. “We as a team need to work on being the aggressor and, if we can do that, we’ll have better success moving forward.”
BG will now travel to take on the University of Akron in a three-game series. The first game is set to begin Friday, April 22 at 3 p.m.
