BUFFALO - Freshman Candy Warden (Fredrick, Md.) and sophomore Kerri Harley (Hickory Hills, Ill.) combined for a shutout in the second game of a twinbill Saturday afternoon at UB Softball Field. Ohio (6-19-1, 2-11-1) won the contest 2-0, and Warden finally broke through with her first victory of the season (1-7). The Bulls took the opener 3-2 with a run in the bottom of the seventh.

Defense and pitching were the strengths that carried Ohio to victory in game two. It's something the Bobcats have been searching for, as they were 0-11 coming into the game when scoring three runs or less.

Further emphasizing the point, the 'Cats were 0-15 when outhit by their opponents.

Both trends were snapped on Saturday. Ohio grabbed the win with only two runs. The Bulls totaled eight hits while the Bobcats mustered five.

Warden turned in four strong innings, before turing the ball over to Harley who earned her first save of the season by keeping the Bulls off the board in her three innings of work.

The two pitchers combined for an eight-hit shutout - striking out two and walking none.

As for the defense - it turned in it's finest performance of the year, committing no errors and recording a season-high three double plays.

The Bobcats flashed the leather from the start. In the first inning, the Bulls had two aboard when Breanne Nasti lined out to thirdbaseman Emily Futscher (Cincinnati) and doubled up the runner on second when she gunned the ball over to secondbaseman Crystal Turner (Kansas City, Mo.).

In the fourth, the offense manufactured a run without having the ball leave the infield. Junior shortstop Sarah Melvin (Loveland) led off with a bunt single. Melvin was sacrificed to second by Kiersten Scrima (Olympia, Wa.) and advanced to third on Erin Chapman's (Beavercreek) groundout to first.

Jenny Tisevich (Canton) then reached on an error by the Bulls' Lauren Piciano and Melvin dashed across the plate for the 1-0 lead.

Warden was still in the batting order in the top half of the fifth, and before she gave way to Harley she made the at-bat count. After Futscher had sparked the inning with a lead-off double to right, she was sacrificed to third by Shannon Weidner (Canal Winchester).

Warden then smacked a single up the middle that brought Futscher home and the Bobcats had the 2-0 lead that they would retain for the duration.

The fifth and the seventh innings had a reminiscent feel. Which was a good thing for Ohio and a horribly sour one for Buffalo. Just as in the first inning, the fifth and seventh showcased line-outs to Futscher that turned into double plays when she threw over to Turner.

The third time was truly the charm, as it ended the contest and the 'Cats ended the afternoon with a split.

In game one, Ohio was down 1-0 in the fifth when the offense got to the Bulls star pitcher Stacey Evans. Senior Lyndsay Eirch (Powell) doubled to start the inning and eventually the Bobcats loaded the bases with one out.

Scrima then ripped a double to left center that scored pinch-runner Erika Rothbauer (Louisville, Ky.) and Georgia Villard (Canton) for a 2-1 Ohio advantage.

Tisevich started the game for the 'Cats, but was replaced by Kristie Howe (Missouri City, Tx) in the fourth.

The Bulls tied it back up in the sixth when Marcee Ross doubled to right field off Howe.

Ohio went quietly in the top of the seventh, but the same could not be said for the Bulls. Nasti began the rally with a single and the Bulls never looked back, loading the bases before Jessica Kensey's fielder's choice brought in the game-winner. Howe was tagged with the loss (0-3), while Evans earned the win to improve to 7-8 for Buffalo.

The teams will finish the three-game series on Sunday at 1 p.m.

'Cat Facts:The save that Harley notched in game two was her first career save at Ohio...The Bobcats have split their last three doubleheaders.