"Baseball team improves record, softball team struggles to pick up wins"

Baseball

The Bulls found success against a new opponent over the weekend. It was the first time that Buffalo's baseball team faced off against Butler and the squad won three of four games, helping improve their record to over .500 just before Mid-American Conference plays commences.
Buffalo (9-8) sent senior pitcher Chaz Mye to the mound for the first of four games on Friday afternoon.
The Bulls took an early lead in the top of the first inning, scoring three runs. Buffalo had runners on first and second base when senior, first baseman Rob Lawler stepped up to plate and drove in an RBI single to left field.
A few batters later, senior third baseman Jacob Rosenbeck would match Lawler's hit, with a single of his own to left field, scoring two runs to put Buffalo ahead of the Bulldogs (4-8), 3-0.
Senior shortstop Brad Agustin had a day to remember, driving in three consecutive runs for the Bulls. In the top of the second inning, Agustin drove a ball to deep left-center for a solo homerun and followed up with two-RBI double down the left field line in the fourth. Augustin helped increase Buffalo's lead to 6-0.
The game continued at the same pace. The Bulls scored three more runs over the final three innings and let up just one run to the Bulldogs en route to a 9-1 victory.
Mye received his second victory of the season while only giving up one run over six innings. Senior pitcher Brian Pullyblank pitched in relief for Mye, recording one strikeout over one inning.
"[Mye] just brought his A-game to the field today," said head coach Ron Torgalski. "Also, our defense played very well behind Mye."
In the night game, the Bulldogs took a large lead in the early innings, scoring seven runs in the bottom of the second.
The Bulls answered back with a score of its own. The first came in the top of the fourth off the bat of senior outfielder Charlie Karstedt who hit a single to the right field earning an RBI.
Butler answered Buffalo's one run by adding a pair of scores in the bottom of the fifth to extend their lead to 9-1. Karstedt would drive in another run on a sacrifice fly, but that was all that Buffalo could muster as they fell 9-2.
On Saturday afternoon, the Bulls erupted in the top of the second inning, scoring six runs to get off to a good start after a disappointing outing the game before. Rosenbeck and senior outfielder Adam Skonieczki hit back-to-back doubles to put Buffalo up 1-0 and the Bulls kept the runs coming.
Freshman second baseman Alex Baldock, senior outfielder Bobby Pizzuto and senior catcher Brad Cochrane each had a hit of their own, extending the lead to 6-0.
The Bulldogs rallied in the seventh-inning but came up short.
With a five-run deficit, Butler had runners on first and second when Butler's Corey Moylan hit a bases-clearing two-run double to deep left field, making the score 9-7. With the momentum on the Bulldogs' side, sophomore closer Kevin Crumb forced a fly out to center field for his second save of the season.
Buffalo experienced a near mirror image of their morning game later that afternoon.
Buffalo got out to an early 6-0 lead in the top of the second inning. The Bulls then gave up a few runs to Butler, who once again fell just short of taking the victory. Buffalo closed out Butler 9-7, winning three of four games on the weekend.
Yesterday's game against Canisius was cancelled due to inclement weather. The Bulls will be back in action on Friday as they open up conference play when they host Eastern Michigan at 3 p.m.

Softball

After splitting games with Oakland and Coastal Carolina in the first two games of the Coastal Carolina Tournament, the softball team dropped their final three games in Myrtle Beach.
The Bulls (8-16) fell to Sacred Heart (9-9) on Saturday, 4-3, and Houston Baptist (7-14), 5-2 in the nightcap. Buffalo lost again to Houston Baptist in the weekend finale on Sunday by a score of 3-0.
Sacred Heart struck first on the second day of competition with a leadoff homerun by junior infielder Courtney Lee. The Bulls tied the game in the top of the second inning on a fielder's choice and proceeded to take a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth.
The Pioneers regained the lead on a two-out, bases-clearing double by sophomore Marissa Montemagni.
The Bulls scored a run in the top of the seventh on back-to-back doubles by sophomore Kristin Waldron and senior Sharon Barr to cut the deficit to one, but that's as close as the Bulls would come.
Barr gave up four hits and struck out seven batters in pitching a complete game.
Despite scored runs by freshman Alyssa Ward and junior Kristen Gallipani in the 2nd and 5th innings in the their afternoon game against Houston Baptist, the Bulls suffered another loss.
Ward and freshman Jessica Griffin each went 2-for-3 with an RBI in the loss. Barr pitched another complete game with three strikeouts while Gallipani earned the 27th stolen base of her career to move her to third all-time at UB.
In a rematch against Houston Baptist on Sunday, the Bulls started off well as Waldron led off with a single. Senior Jaime Sheffler took first base after being hit by a pitch. Both players advanced on an illegal pitch and Ward then drew a walk to load the bases, but clutch defense by the Huskies prevented any scoring.
Waldron recorded Buffalo's only hit of the day.
"Our defense is getting better and we are sustaining one of the top fielding percentages in the conference," said assistant coach Jessica Jones. "As far as our hitting goes, we have to make sure to be aggressive and cohesive at the plate."
Due to various injuries, Barr pitched three consecutive complete games for Buffalo. Her start against Houston Baptist on Sunday was the 64th of her career, tying Buffalo's all-time record for career starts.
"Barr pitched about 30 innings over four and a half games," Jones said. "She was a workhorse. When you have good pitching it's important to make sure you get timely hits, but unfortunately we were unable to get the bats going."
Buffalo will try to rebound on Wednesday when they play Syracuse (12-13) at Syracuse's SU Softball Stadium. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.

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