FREDONIA, N.Y.—Buffalo State finally sustained a rally in the eighth inning of the second game to earn a split in today's SUNYAC season openers at Fredonia, winning 5-2 in extras after dropping the first game 3-2.
 
GAME #1 BASICS
FINAL SCORE:  Fredonia - 3, Buffalo State – 2
LOCATION: Blue Devil Field - Fredonia, N.Y.
RECORDS: Fredonia (6-9/1-0), Buffalo State (5-8/0-1)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Buffalo State outhit Fredonia 9-5 and the Blue Devils committed six errors, but the Bengals could not take advantage, stranding 16 base runners, including leaving the bases loaded in the seventh inning.
• Julia Blujus (Amherst/Sacred Heart) hit a two-run home run and finished 2 for 5 at the plate for the Bengals.
• Alyssa Nichy (Depew/Depew) was 2 for 2 with two doubles.
• Oriana Castello (Pearl River/Nanuet) drew the loss in the circle, pitching three-plus innings, allowing just three hits and three runs (two earned).
• Marissa Hayes (N. Tonawanda/Niagara Wheatfield) surrendered two hits and no runs over the final three innings.
• Buffalo State trailed 3-0 after five innings, leaving 11 runners on base.  Fredonia scored twice on two hits and an error in the third and added a key insurance run on a sacrifice fly in the fourth.
• Blujus closed the gap with a two-run home run in the sixth.
• The Bengals loaded the bases in the seventh inning on a hit, an error and a hit by pitch, but could not plate the equalizer.

 
FOR THE FOES

• Karli Murray led Fredonia going 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored.
• Katie Yudin earned the win, pitching five innings, allowing just two runs on seven hits and four walks. Maria Caviris secured the save working two innings of two-hit relief.

 
GAME #2 BASICS
FINAL SCORE:  Buffalo State – 5, Fredonia – 2 (8 innings)
LOCATION: Blue Devil Field - Fredonia, N.Y.
RECORDS: Buffalo State (6-8/1-1), Fredonia (6-10/1-1)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Buffalo State finally produced timely hits, breaking a 2-2 tie with three runs on five hits in the eighth inning to secure the victory.
• Emma Richard (Grand Island/Grand Island) recorded her first collegiate victory, throwing six innings of two-hit scoreless relief.
• Blujus was 2 for 4 with a double and two runs scored.
• Cassie O'Hern (Augusta, NJ/High Point) was 2 for 3 with a double and an RBI, while Hannah Dunlap (Batavia/Oakfield-Alabama) was 2 for 4 with a double and a run scored.
• Sydney McIntosh (Buffalo/Kenmore West) also went 2 for 4 with an RBI, and Chelsea Davis (Lancaster/Lancaster) drove in a pair of runs.
• The Bengals opened the scoring with a run in the first, but Fredonia promptly responded to take a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the opening frame.
• Buffalo State tied the score on a throwing error in the fifth inning and finally broke through in the eighth, scoring on a two-run single by Davis and an RBI double by O'Hern.

 
FOR THE FOES

• Murray was 2 for 4 with a run scored, and Marisa Sultana was 2 for 3 for the Blue Devils.

 
NOTEWORTHY

• Each team earned a point in the season-long Battle by the Lake competition to allow Buffalo State to hold a 15-14 lead with just men's and women's outdoor track and field remaining.

 
UP NEXT
Buffalo State will host Medaille in a non-conference doubleheader tomorrow at 3 p.m.