BUFFALO, NY – The Buffalo State softball team begins a packed weekend of action on Friday with three doubleheaders in three days. The Bengals host Oswego and Cortland in SUNYAC doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday, followed by a non-conference doubleheader at home against Nazareth on Sunday. Friday's games will serve as Staff Appreciation Day, while Saturday will be the Kara Stein Memorial games.
GAME COVERAGE LINKS
EYES ON THE BENGALS
- Buffalo State jumped to 11-10 overall (6-2 SUNYAC) following a 4-0 weekend against Potsdam and Plattsburgh.
- Katie Pyszczek (Elma, NY/St. Mary's of Lancaster) earned SUNYAC Athlete of the Week honors, batting .750 (9-for-12) with five RBIs, and four runs scored in the four games. The freshman is now hitting .459 on the season with a .595 slugging percentage.
- Caitlyn Parsons (Webster, NY/Webster Thomas) is on a seven-game hitting streak. Over that stretch, Parsons has batted 14-for-22 (.636). Parsons is also the toughest to strike out in the SUNYAC this season, with just two strikeouts in 55 at bats.
- In her last five pitching appearances, Madison Lucas (Oakdale, PA/West Allegheny) is sporting a 3-1 record with an ERA of 1.57 over 22.1 innings with 23 strikeouts.
- Lexi Quagliana's (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) four sacrifice flies on the season are tops in the SUNYAC, and tied for 15th in the nation.
A LOOK AT THE LAKERS
- Oswego enters the weekend sits at 7-15 overall (2-6 SUNYAC) after a doubleheader split against Brockport on Tuesday.
- The Lakers lead the SUNYAC with 51 stolen bases on the season, led by Kira Wright's 12 steals in 13 attempts.
- Fiona Higgins leads Oswego in the circle and at the plate, sporting a 3.58 ERA with 93 strikeouts on the rubber, while batting .383 with a team-high 23 hits.
RESEARCHING THE RED DRAGONS
- The Red Dragons are 15-5, prior to a doubleheader at Fredonia on Friday afternoon.
- Cortland has taken advantage of solid hitting to begin the season, batting .357 as a team and scoring an average of 6.7 runs per game. McKenna Barry's five home runs lead the SUNYAC, and 19 RBIs are tops on the team.
- Gina Meyers is riding a 19-game hitting streak into the weekend, and has hit safely in every game played this season.
THE NEWS ON NAZARETH
- Nazareth is 4-18 prior to a doubleheader against Geneseo on Thursday. The Golden Flyers split a doubleheader against Russell Sage in their last games on Tuesday.
- For the year, Nazareth pitchers have a 7.95 ERA, and have allowed 180 runs in 130.1 innings.
- The Golden Flyers have three qualified batters hitting over .350 on the season: Maddy Spakoski (.379), Haleigh Suitor (.368), and Morgan Russo (.359).
THE HISTORY
- Buffalo State is 53-15 over Oswego since 1989. The Bengals swept the Lakers last season in a doubleheader, and have won five of the last six matchups of the teams.
- The Bengals will be looking to end a six-game losing streak against the Red Dragons, after falling in a doubleheader on the road last season.
- Buffalo State is 13-3 against Nazareth since 2008, with the teams splitting a doubleheader last season.
