When junior outfielder Caitlin Dekker hit a two run homerun in the bottom of the sixth inning, it looked as if the softball team was poised to complete the comeback - but the opposition had other plans.
The Bulls (7-12) held their first home game of the season on Wednesday afternoon against Canisius (4-19). After their back-to-back wins against Liberty, and nationally ranked Baylor, the softball team was on a roll. But that ended abruptly against the struggling Golden Griffins, 4-3 on Wednesday thanks to a last inning long ball from Stephanie Pftentner.
"I think we were pretty flat," said head coach Jennifer Teague. "We had six walks and two hit by pitches, and three walks in one inning, it's tough to win a ball game when you put that many base runners on."
Junior outfielder Caitlin Dekker's sixth inning homerun tied the game for the Bulls, 3-3. The comeback was important because a loss to a sub-par opposition could haunt the Bulls heading into their conference schedule.
Sophomore Tori Speckman held Canisius in check for her first three and a third innings of relief, but the Golden Griffs' leadoff batter got the best of her, giving Canisius the edge, 4-3. "It was a fatty pitch and it went over the fence," said Teague. "When you throw it over the plate, it goes out a lot, especially with good hitters."
Senior starter Holly Johnson was replaced early in the third inning, after giving up five walks and surrendering two earned runs. Johnson has been the most dominant pitcher for the Bulls thus far; she leads the pitching staff in earned-run average, complete games, and strike outs. But Teague was forced to swap her for the team's wins leader, Speckman.
"She was walking batters and she didn't have any control over her pitches," Teague said. Pitching was not the only woe the Bulls faced on Wednesday. Prior to Decker's homerun in the sixth inning, the Bulls failed to score a run until the fifth inning. They finished the game with seven hits and three runs.
Canisius' senior Katie Lancelloti proved once again to be productive against the Bulls. She went 3-for-3, with an RBI triple, and also worked two walks.
"Lancelloti was hitting .160 coming into the game and she always has the game of her year against us," Teague said. "We meet them later again in April, and we'll make sure to make a mental note of that."
The game on Wednesday is the last the Bulls will have before MAC play begins on Friday against Eastern Michigan (11-17).
The series will have a little more meaning for Teague than most games as she used to be the head coach at Eastern Michigan (10-16) before assuming the same position at Buffalo. "It's funny because their senior class is the class that I recruited when I was there," Teague said. "They're struggling a little bit, but it's the start of the conference and anything is up in the air."
There seems to be no clear-cut favorite to win the MAC this season so the Bulls plan to take full advantage of the opportunity. Their mammoth victory over Baylor will linger in the minds of every opponent they face.
Teague is a firm believer that the Bulls have a chance as good as ever to take the reins of the conference.
"Our conference is so evenly matched throughout, it really depends on who's going to come to the field and play and be consistent through seven innings," Teague said. "If we do that I really like our chances."
The Bulls get their first opportunity for a good start with four straight home games. Central Michigan (12-11) comes to town this weekend for games on Saturday and Sunday, but Buffalo's double-header against Eastern Michigan on Friday at 1 p.m. will open it up.
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Photo: Paul Hokanson/UB Athletics
