BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Buffalo State softball team quickly erased a five-run deficit, scoring 10 runs in the later innings to take a 10-5 game one victory over Nazareth on a rainy Wednesday afternoon. Nazareth defeated Buffalo State 5-4 in game two as the teams earned a split.
GAME 1 BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Buffalo State – 10, Nazareth – 5
LOCATION: Buffalo State Softball Field – Buffalo N.Y.
RECORDS: Buffalo State (8-15), Nazareth (10-13)
INSIDE THE BENGALS BOX SCORE
- The Bengals tallied a season-best 15 hits in the game one victory.
- Caitlyn Parsons (Webster, N.Y./Webster Thomas) went 4-for-4 with a run driven in.
- Taylor Benton (Niagara Falls, N.Y./Niagara-Wheatfield) went 2-for-4, driving in four runs and scored once.
- Demi Kellogg (Gansevoort, N.Y./South Glens Falls) and Oriana Castello (Pearl River, N.Y./Nanuet) tallied two hits and scored two runs.
- Samantha Kelly (Tonawanda, N.Y./Kenmore East) made the most of her first start of the season, going 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored.
- Ella Susi (Lakeview, N.Y./Frontier) earned her third victory of the season in a relief effort (3-1), allowing no earned runs on two hits in 3 2/3 innings. She struck out two and added a hit on offense.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Nazareth began the game with a pair of hits, scoring a run on a Sarah Simmons double.
- The Golden Flyers posted a four-run fourth, taking a 5-0 lead.
- In the bottom of the frame, Kellogg got the Bengals on the board with a two-out, RBI infield single.
- Three batters later, Kelly drove in two with another single through the right side.
- Castello loaded the bases with an infield single, and Benton cleared all runners with a double over the right fielder's head, completing the six-run, two-out rally.
- Sarah Congelosi (Montgomery, N.Y./Valley Central) had an impressive steal at home plate in the fifth inning, giving the Bengals a 7-5 lead.
- Jenna Wlostowski (Lancaster, N.Y./Alden) then singled over the shortstop's head for an RBI knock, as the Bengals took an 8-5 lead.
- The Bengals added two more in the sixth, as Benton tallied her fourth hit on an RBI double, and Parsons singled in another run up the middle.
FOR THE FOES
- Justine Brooks and Megan Pum each led Nazareth with two hits.
- Maddie Funk took the loss, dropping to 4-8 after allowing 10 earned runs.
GAME 2 BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Nazareth –5, Buffalo State – 4
LOCATION: Buffalo State Softball Field – Buffalo N.Y.
RECORDS: Buffalo State (8-16), Nazareth (11-13)
INSIDE THE BENGALS BOX SCORE
- Benton added two more hits in game two, scoring once.
- Congelosi also tallied two hits, going 2-for-3.
- Parsons went 1-for-4 with a run scored and two driven in.
- Kayla Wolinski (Lancaster, N.Y./Lancaster) went 1-for-4 with an RBI.
- Susi took the loss in relief, dropping to 3-2 after allowing an earned run in 3 1/3 innings pitched.
- Olivia Carr (West Falls, N.Y./East Aurora) allowed two earned in 3 2/3 innings pitched, striking out three batters.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- A passed ball gave the Bengals the first run of the game, as Castello ran home from third base.
- Nazareth tied the game in the top of the third as Simmons drove in a one out single through the left side.
- In the third, the Bengals took the lead thanks to a two-RBI single by Parsons.
- Wolinski then doubled to right center, scoring Parsons as the Bengals led 4-1.
- Nazareth got it back in the fourth, scoring three times to tie the game at four.
- The Golden Flyers then took the lead on a Brooks sacrifice fly, scoring Hailie Bennett to lead 5-4.
- The Bengals had a runner in scoring position in the sixth and a runner on in the seventh, but couldn't mount the comeback as relief pitcher Emily Daciw and the defense kept the Bengals from scoring.
FOR THE FOES
- Brooks went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
- Seven different Golden Flyers tallied a hit.
- Daciw picked up the victory in relief, improving to 6-5 after 4 1/3 scoreless innings, striking out three batters.
UP NEXT
The Bengals will wrap up a busy week as Fredonia comes to town on Friday, with the doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.