Eagles Split at Buffalo

Game One Box Score

Game Two Box Score

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Eastern Michigan University softball team split a Mid-American Conference doubleheader with the University at Buffalo here Friday, May 2 at Nan Harvey Field. The Eagles won the first game, 4-3, before falling to the Bulls in the second game, 6-2. EMU is now 14-28 (6-10 MAC).

Senior Ashley Strauss (Trenton, Mich.-Trenton) hit two doubles on the afternoon, bringing her season total to 17 and tying her with Melissa Drouillard for most doubles in a season. She now has 41 doubles in her career, moving past Lauren Clark into third place. Strauss is only two away from tying Drouillard’s all-time mark of 43.

The Eagles took the first game, 4-3. Freshman Jaclyn Caro (Chino, Calif.-St. Lucy’s Priory) pitched a complete game, allowing six hits and striking out three to up her record to 9-11. Offensively, the Eagles had eight hits, led by Strauss, who went 4-for-4 with three singles and a double. The Eagles also had two home runs in the game, with Jenny Scherer (Stow, Ohio-Stow-Munroe) and Stacie Skodinski (South Bend, Ind.-Washington) going yard.

After three scoreless innings of play, the Eagles were the first to score, plating three runs in the fourth to take a 3-0 lead. Freshman Lauren Delapaz (Plymouth, Mich.-Canton) drew a walk to start the inning, moving to second after Strauss’s second single of the game. With runners on second and third after a sacrifice, a passed ball allowed both to score. Skodinski then belted a pitch over the centerfield wall, putting EMU up 3-0.

Following a 15-minute rain delay, the Eagles kept the offense going, scoring another run in the fifth off a Scherer home run to increase the lead to four, 4-0. It was her 11th homer of the season and 22nd of her career, leaving her only two shy of Clark’s mark of 24.

The Bulls were able to score three runs in the bottom of the sixth to get within a run, 4-3. EMU did not allow Buffalo to rally in the seventh, recording the 4-3 win.

In the second game, UB scored in the first inning during a rundown between first and second base. While the rundown was taking place, Marcy Hansen was able to score from third to put the home team up early, 1-0. The Bulls took advantage of an Eagle error in the third inning to up the lead to two, 2-0.

With the bases loaded in the fifth, Buffalo put another run up off a suicide squeeze. The next batter, Sharon Barr, ripped a two-run single to center, upping the lead to 5-0. After a single that put runners on first and second, head coach Karen Baird made a pitching change, bringing Caro in to replace Kari Chambers (Woodstock, Ga.-Woodstock). The Bulls were able to put up another run on the board in the inning, increasing the lead to 6-0.

EMU closed the gap after a two-run sixth inning. Jessica Grant (Grand Rapids, Mich.-Forest Hills Northern) started the scoring with an RBI single down the first base line to score a run. Lindsay Ritz (Garden City, Mich.-Garden City) hit her second double of the game to score Grant, making the score 6-2 in favor of the Bulls.

Strauss was able to get on base in the seventh with her second hit of the game, but the Eagles were unable to rally, dropping the second contest, 6-2.

Chambers (5-14) was charged with the loss, pitching 4.2 innings for the Green and White. She allowed seven hits and six runs, while tying her career-high with seven strikeouts. The Eagles totaled nine hits in the second game, led by Ritz (2-for-3) and Strauss (2-for-4).

The Eagles will conclude MAC play this weekend, traveling to conference-leading Kent State University to take on the Golden Flashes in two single games. The two teams will square off Saturday, May 3 at 2 p.m., and then again Sunday, May 4 at 1 p.m.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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