Softball Splits MAC Twinbill With Buffalo

Friday, March 29

Buffalo, N.Y.

1 p.m.

Central Michigan University

11-17, 0

Buffalo

5-22, 0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Central Michigan	0	0	0	0	0	2	3	5	8	0
Buffalo	1	0	0	0	0	0	5	6	8	2

3/29/2019 6:25:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Underwood drives in all 3 runs in CMU's win in the nightcap

By: Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Erika Underwood hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning on Friday to lift the Central Michigan softball team to a 3-2 victory over Buffalo in the nightcap of a Mid-American Conference doubleheader at the Bulls' Nan Harvey Field.

The Chippewas and Bulls split the twinbill as Buffalo won the opener, 6-5. CMU is 12-17, 3-2 MAC. Buffalo is 5-17, 2-2. The teams are scheduled to complete their three-game series on Saturday at noon.

Underwood drove in all three of CMU's runs, on three hits, in game two. The senior from Pittsford continued her red-hot MAC campaign as she is now eight for 16 (.500) in the Chippewas' five league games. She has three home runs and 10 RBI over that span.

Samantha Howell went the distance for the victory in the nightcap. She surrendered seven hits, walked one and recorded a season-high seven strikeouts.

Underwood's first-inning RBI single gave the Chippewas a 1-0 lead. Her two-run blast in the fifth put CMU in front for good. She finished with three hits to lead CMU's eight-hit attack. Andrea Perlberg added two hits and Morgan Gardner doubled.

Howell surrendered a one-out double in the bottom of the seventh inning, and then recorded back-to-back strikeouts to preserve the Chippewa victory.

CMU trailed 1-0 entering the sixth inning in the opener, then scored two runs and added three more in the seventh in building a 5-1 lead. Buffalo scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh to win it. The Bulls hit three home runs in the inning – the first a three-run blast and the next two, solo shots – in surging past the Chippewas.

Sara Hansen, Tala Dean and Kayla Noch had two hits apiece to lead the Chippewas.

Reliever Cloe Mallory took the loss. CMU starter Kaitlyn Bean allowed four runs on six hits over 6 1/3 innings. She struck out seven and walked one.