Softball splits Saturday competition in Arlington

Two more games in the books for UB Softball this Saturday, and while the Bulls went 1-1, thanks to a strong offensive performance in their eight-inning win over Incarnate Word, I don't really need to go far from the established storylines for that 10-7 win or the earlier 11-0 loss to Sam Houston State.

The Big Inning and Two-out runs

Sam Houston State scored nine times in the first two innings; they opened the game with five straight hits and drove in three more after that flurry, then rallied for two more after a two-run homer in the second. Not many teams are going to come back from that.

The Bulls avoided the big inning against Incarnate Word, stranding 11 Cardinals in eight innings, but three of UB's seven runs against in that game came with two outs. Buffalo obviously got the jump in the 8th and claimed the win, but any one of those runs could have prevented extras entirely.

Defense and Pitching

UB committed only two errors today. Given how the first seven games went, I am completely justified in using the word 'only.' Unfortunately, both errors led to an unearned run against UB's pitching staff.

Pitchingwise, as you can tell from the runs against, I think we're basically flipping coins. Against Sam Houston State Coach Peel was forced to make a change with one out in the first inning, and three pitchers shared the load against Incarnate Word. In addition to surrendering 24 hits in 12 innings, UB put eight more runners on between walks and HBPs on the day.

***
On the plus side, 10 runs is a strong output in the nightcap, and UB did manage six hits in five innings against the BearKats after just four in seven innings yesterday. Alexis Curtiss and Ashton Earnhardt in particular had big days, with Earnhardt hitting safely twice in the first game and the two combining for six hits and four runs in the second.

Danielle Lallos also had a big day, hitting her first career homer for two runs against Incarnate Word and later driving in the tying RBI in the top of the seventh that helped UB into extras before they claimed the win.

***

UB's got one more game in Arlington tomorrow, and it's early: a 9:00 AM match up against Ohio State. After that, they'll have next weekend off, so here's hoping for a strong finish to the Maverick Invitational.

Go Bulls