Canisius pitcher Juliette Bowers picked up her team-leading seventh win of the season and freshman Emily Helbig (pictured) went 1-for-3 with a double and two RBIs as the Golden Griffins scored a 6-2 win over cross-town rival Buffalo in the first game of a doubleheader Wednesday afternoon at the Demske Sports Complex. In the nightcap, the Bulls (2-16) picked up a 5-3 victory after the team scored four runs in the top of the third inning. Canisius saw its five-game winning streak come to an end with the loss in the second game, and stand at 13-10 on the season.
In the Griffs' win, Bowers allowed two runs on four hits and struck out four in five innings of work to improve her record in the circle to 7-1 in 2008. Bowers got all the help she needed when the Blue and Gold plated three runs in the bottom of the first to take a 3-0 lead. With runners at first and second, sophomore Michelle Fridey drove in the game's first tally with an RBI-double down the right field line, and Helbig followed with a double of her own that knocked in Cameron Norton and Fridey. Buffalo got on the board in the top of the second, but the Griffs answered with a run in the bottom of the frame after Lauren Hope reached base with a bunt-single. The freshman outfielder then stole second base, third base and home plate to put the Griffs up 4-1.
Junior Mallory Aldred came on in relief of Bowers in the sixth inning and tossed two scoreless innings and didn't allow a hit to earn her fourth save of the year. Norton finished the first game by going 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored, while Brittany Bonetto added a hit to the winning effort. For Buffalo, Sharon Barr took the loss after she allowed six runs on six hits while striking out three in seven innings of work. Barr also accounted for the Bulls' lone run of the game with a solo homer in the second inning, her third home run of the year.
In the nightcap, Buffalo trailed 3-0 after two innings but took the lead for good when it scored four times in the top half of the third, highlighted by a single off the bat of Russell, who drove in two runs on the play. Buffalo's Marcy Hansen tied the game at 3-3 when she stole home on a double-steal attempt by UB, and Wendy Sheehan knocked in the game-winning run with a base hit up the middle moments later.
Katie Ivancich earned her first win of the season in the circle for the Bulls after she allowed three runs on nine hits while striking out four. Canisius junior Jenny Maheu went 2-for-4 with a double, a triple and two RBIs in the loss, while Fridey racked up a pair of hits in the losing effort for the Blue and Gold. Jess Stackhouse took the loss for Canisius after she allowed four runs on four hits in 2.1 innings of work.
Canisius will open MAAC play April 5-6, when the team travels to Manhattan and Saint Peter's. The Griffs are set to meet the Lady Jaspers Saturday, with first pitch of the doubleheader sscheduled for 11 a.m.
Game Notes: Canisius improved to 17-2 in home openers at the Demske Sports Complex... The Griffs also moved to 21-13 all-time against Buffalo... Canisius has outscored its opponents by a count of 30-11 in the first inning this year... Michelle Fridey extended her hitting streak to 10 games... Lauren Hope became the first active Canisius player to steal three bases in the same game... Katie Miranto's double in the second game was the 184th hit of her career, which ties her with Jill Iacono for fourth all-time in school history... Mallory Aldred moved into second place on the school's career save list with nine in three years as a Griff.
