It was an incredible weekend for the softball team. After struggling through the early part of the schedule and going through an excruciating 1-9 stretch, the Bulls have stepped up and seemingly turned the corner entering a Wednesday showdown.
The Bulls (12-21, 5-5 Mid-American Conference) are looking to keep it going as they take on Niagara (9-20, 2-2 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) at Nan Harvey Field in Amherst. After a great five-game stretch, in which Buffalo went 4-1 on the road, it looks to rely on the comforts of home field to extend its winning ways.
Although they're not the biggest rival, this doubleheader is important for a team looking to contend.
"Canisius is really our biggest rival, but you always want to do well against all the Big Four schools in the area," said head coach Jennifer Teague. "Niagara is a little down this year, but they're fighters. We anticipate two really good games."
The Bulls' offense has reigned supreme. Leading the way is the power hitting trio of sophomore second baseman Sammi Gallardo, junior third baseman Alyssa Ward, and freshman catcher Alexis Curtiss.
Ward is coming off an incredible stretch of games that earned her the MAC East Player of the Week on Tuesday for the first time in her career. She hit a sizzling .625 and last Wednesday against rival Canisius (10-26, 3-3 MAAC), she did something no other Bulls player has done before: hit for the cycle. She went 4-5 in that game, and drove in six runs in the process, a career best.
"It felt awesome," Ward said. "My teammates were definitely excited. I struggled in the beginning, and I fixed a few things with my swing with the coaches and it worked out for me."
Curtiss, who won that honor last week, has still been hitting consistently for the Bulls. She is batting a team-best .366 this year and also leads the team in hits and RBIs. Gallardo has been clutch at the plate, as she drove in the go ahead run in their last contest against Western Michigan (19-15, 4-7 MAC). Over the weekend, she hit .400, and finished with seven RBIs in the four games.
The three have led this offense, which has been tearing it up as of late due to some fundamental changes.
"I think the past two weeks our offense has really stepped it up," Teague said. "We switched some things around, and coach [Jessica] Jones is taking charge with that. We focused a lot on hitting with power in front of the plate, and working on drills for that."
Even though the Purple Eagles have struggled, they are coming in on a hot streak like the Bulls. They have won five of their last seven games, with their pitching setting the tone recently. Pitchers Julie DiMatteo and Kim Bryson, the two projected starters for the Purple Eagles, have been tremendous.
DiMatteo is 3-0 in her last four appearances and has posted a sparkling 0.52 ERA, has struck out 25 batters. Bryson is coming off of a 14-strikeout performance against Fairfield Monday, as she picked up the win. The strikeouts were a career high.
Despite going against two hot pitchers, Teague doesn't fear the Purple Eagles.
"Offensively we have the edge," Teague said. "But I wouldn't be surprised if it was an offensively-driven doubleheader."
The Bulls look to take two as they take on Niagara at Nan Harvey Field. First pitch for the opening game of the twin bill is scheduled for 3 p.m.
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Photo: Paul Hokanson/UB Athletics
