The softball team wrapped up an eight-game homestand on Wednesday with a doubleheader against local adversary Niagara at Nan Harvey Field.
After a disappointing start to the day in which the Bulls (15-25, 4-6 Mid-American Conference) fell to the Purple Eagles (12-14, 4-2 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference), 7-3, they rebounded in game two to down Niagara, 6-4.
Bulls head coach Jennifer Teague was happy with her team for its resolve, but wasn't happy with the result of game one.
"You're always happy with rebounding back and winning a ballgame [after a tough loss]," Teague said. "But that is the play that we expect from them. We were a little upset about the first game because we really expected them to do a bit better in finishing the game."
Freshman third baseman Alyssa Ward exploded in the twin bill, hitting for a .667 average in the two games. She notched two doubles on the day and drove in three runs.
Ward is one of two players on the team to start in all 40 games this season and raised her season average after the two games to .262, which is good for third on the team.
Teague noted after the game that having five or six freshmen this year has allowed the team to get used to Division I pitching. She has really been impressed with Ward so far and especially with her play of late.
"Alyssa [Ward] has been doing great," Teague said. "I think she is really in a rhythm at the plate right now which is exactly where we need her… She's done a great job making adjustments when she's needed to. [We are] looking forward to seeing how she does this weekend against some MAC opponents."
Logging the majority of work in the circle on the day for the Bulls was sophomore pitcher Terese Diaz. She went 1-1 in the double header and started both games, pitching 13 innings total. She gave up 16 hits but recorded 14 strikeouts and allowed eight runs.
The Bulls looked to be in good shape headed to the top of the seventh inning in the first game with a 3-1 lead. Three straight Niagara singles in the inning resulted in a run, and junior pitcher Kate Kraus came on in relief with nobody out and runners on the corners.
After Kraus forced two straight line drive outs to shortstop, she walked a batter to load the bases. Niagara catcher Becky Zill gave the Purple Eagles all they would need for the win as she drove a triple to right field to plate all three runs, giving her team a 5-3 lead.
Niagara designated player Kayla Hines added two more runs on a home run to close out the scoring for the Purple Eagles.
The Bulls entered game two hoping to erase the collapse in the game before. The Purple Eagles were again down in the seventh but Diaz was able to slam the door on any comeback attempt.
Junior right fielder Candice Sheehan and freshman second baseman Ashley Bertot both went 2-for-3 in the game and scored two runs apiece in the win.
Ward came up in the bottom of the first with the bases loaded and came through in a big way with one of her two doubles in the game. The hit plated two runs.
The Bulls added two more scores in the second to go up 5-0 but the Purple Eagles would respond in the third, adding two runs of their own.
Niagara chipped away at the lead and added a run in the fifth and sixth innings, but it wasn't enough to beat Buffalo.
Hoping to improve as the MAC Tournament draws near, the Bulls will play their last four road games of the regular season this weekend. The rest of the regular season will be at home and should give the Bulls a chance to build some momentum.
"It's nice that we've had some pretty decent weather [lately]," Teague said. "We are going to be able to finish our season at home with a bunch of home games. We're definitely looking forward to that."
First up for Buffalo is a doubleheader against the Akron Zips (15-25, 3-7 MAC) on Friday, followed by a two-game set against Ohio (11-26, 6-4 MAC).
First pitch on Friday is set for 1 p.m.
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