UB softball (6-9, 0-0 MAC) won two of five games at the Low Country Classic in Charleston, South Carolina this weekend. Both of the team’s wins came against the Evansville Aces.
Game one against Wofford
Despite the best efforts of fifth-year pitcher Alexis Lucyshyn, who threw 13 strikeouts, the Bulls lost their first game of the tournament to the Wofford Terriers (9-5, 0-0 SoCon).
The Bulls’ opportunity to strike first was compromised as senior outfielder Sara Kelly and senior infielder Madison Fernimen were stranded on first and second base.
In the fourth inning, sophomore outfielder Mia Mitchell was on third base with two outs but failed to touch home. In the top of the eighth inning, Wofford took the lead and the Bulls lost the game 1-0.
Game two against Evansville
The Evansville Aces (0-16, 0-0 MVC) took a 2-0 lead early in UB’s second game. The Bulls struggled to get a run until the fourth inning, when they scored off a sacrifice fly, but the Bulls were still trailing at the beginning of the fifth.
In the sixth, sophomore catcher Lily Lauck walked, which made the Aces change pitchers. Senior pitcher Julia Tarantino made game changing plays for the Bulls, including an RBI single to center, giving her team a 3-2 lead.
The Aces failed to get on the board in the seventh inning, giving the Bulls a 3-2 victory.
Game three against Wofford
The Bulls were back against the Wofford Terriers on Saturday morning. The Bulls got on the board first in the third inning when Fernimen hit a single to right center. Sophomore first basewoman Abbey Nagel then doubled, with Fernimen proceeding to third. Mitchell hit her first home run of the season to put the Bulls on top 3-0.
Unfortunately for UB, the Terriers scored 7 unanswered runs and won 7-3, beating the Bulls for the second time this weekend.
Game four against College of Charleston
The Bulls returned later Saturday for another game, this time against the College of Charleston Cougars (6-11, 0-0 CAA).
Buffalo came out strong with a single hit from Kelly to score Lauck, with bases loaded. Ferminem also drove in Kelly and Tarantino, while sophomore shortstop Avelyn Van Heyst was able to move to third. She scored herself soon after. With the Bulls up 4-0, the Cougars quickly scored three with an RBI single and two RBI doubles in the second inning.
After a scoreless few innings, the Cougars were able to tie the game at 4. The Bulls did not hesitate as Lucyshyn hit in freshman Hannah McGongile to put the Bulls up 5-4.
The Cougars were able to get a run off a sacrifice fly and another off an RBI single, which ended the game in the Cougars favor, 6-5.
Game 5 against Evansville
The Bulls defeated Evansville again on Sunday to close out the classic.
Both Buffalo pitchers, Lucyshyn and Watters, split the game, only allowing a combined three earned runs.
Nagel put the Bulls on the board after a Lucyshyn single in the first inning. With Lucyshyn and Mitchell on base, Lauck walked to load the bases with senior infielder Tianna Williams up to the plate. She then singled to left field to score both Lucyshyn and Mitchell.
With Buffalo up 4-0, the Aces changed pitchers, but that didn’t stop Buffalo’s offense. Junior infielder Alyssa Wasielewski singled to center to score Kelly and Tarantino. The Aces went to the bottom of the inning down 6-0.
The Bulls increased their lead in the third inning when Nagel drove home Wasielewski and moved Fernimen over to third with a single. Lucyshyn was able to hit a double to put the Bulls up 9-0. While the Bulls continued to score, the Aces finally managed to get on the board in the fifth inning. Evansville scored five consecutive times, making the ballgame 11-5.
Both teams scored in the fifth inning to make it a 12-6 ballgame. Lauck’s RBI single in the sixth inning would secure Buffalo’s 13-6 lead. The Aces struggled against Watters’ pitching late in the game. Watters was able to celebrate her first win of the season with five strikeouts.
The Bulls are back next Friday at the Hail Southern Classic, hosted by Georgia Southern. Some of the games will be streamed on ESPN+.
The sports desk can be reached at sports@ubspectrum.com
