Box Score (Game One) |
Box Score (Game Two)
BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Allegheny softball team out-hit Buffalo State 19-11 and was two runs away from sweeping the Bengals in a non-conference softball doubleheader, but the Gators fell 3-2 and 6-5 in 11 innings on Tuesday afternoon.
Buffalo State converted just three hits into three runs in the opener, scoring the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh on a bases-loaded walk-off single by Kyrstin Lekki. In the nightcap, Allegheny appeared to have won the game on a third-out strikeout in the bottom of the 10th inning, however Felicia Gowanlock dropped the third strike and was under the impression the Gators had just won.
After Buffalo State's runners had originally began to leave the field, they returned to touch home and first respectively. The batter was ruled safe at first, and Lindsay Goff's run counted to send the game into the 11th inning. The Bengals won game two with an RBI single by Sam Strapason in the bottom of the 11th to complete the sweep.
In game one, Bodenlos started the scoring with a single to shortstop and advancing to second before scoring on a hit by Gowanlock for a 1-0 lead. Amanda Downey scored the second run for the Gators in the top of the fifth, reaching on an error and rounding the bases to reach home on an RBI single to left field by Stephanie Fort.
Down 2-0, Buffalo State tied the game in the bottom of the sixth with two runs and then relied on Lekki's single to score Jenna Frieling for a 3-2 victory. Frieling not only scored the game-winning run but she also picked up the win on the mound, throwing one inning of one-hit scoreless relief.
In the nightcap, the Bengals took a 1-0 lead after the first inning and the Gators were able to take a 3-1 lead in the third. Sara Doan, who went 4-for-5 with two RBIs and a run, smacked a double and Maggie Bodenlos followed with another double to score three runs on three hits.
After Allegheny added another run in the fifth, Buffalo State responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning for a 4-all tie. For the second straight doubleheader, the Gators were faced with the tiebreaker rule. In the top of the 10th, Downey was placed on second. Gowanlock hit an sacrifice bunt and Downey scored on Sophie Katz's out for a 5-4 lead.
Downey recorded both losses for the Gators on the hill. She came in relief in game one in the seventh and threw 10 2/3 innings in game two, striking out five and only giving up two earned runs. Brittany Rung started in the opener, pitching six innings and striking out six.
Allegheny returns to action on Saturday at Wittenberg. The NCAC doubleheader begins at 1 p.m.
