THE BASICS:

GAME 1 RESULT: Buffalo 6, Hartford 5
GAME 2 RESULT: Hartford 8, Norfolk State 2
LOCATION: Norfolk, Va.
RECORDS: Buffalo (1-6), Hartford (1-1), Norfolk State (1-2)

THE LEAD:
The University of Hartford earned an opening-day split on Saturday, falling in a 6-5 game to Buffalo before earning a lopsided, 8-2 win over host Norfolk State in the second contest of the day. Lexi Wilkerson hit a three-run homer in game two, while Marisa Ferguson had a solo shot in game one.
 
Melissa Pereira pitched six strong innings to lead the Hawks to the victory over Norfolk State, allowing just two hits and striking out four.

GAME 1: BUFFALO 6, HARTFORD 5
Ferguson hit a solo home run and Kylie Dazalla, Kristen DeCiantis and Elizabeth Newkirk each delivered two hits, but Buffalo held off a late Hartford rally to earn a 6-5 victory.
 
Newkirk drove in two runs in a losing effort, while Dazalla and DeCiantis each scored twice. Bianca Ross surrendered six runs, four earned, in six innings to be carded with the loss.

Essence Savinon delivered three hits and scored twice for the Bulls, while Jenelle Martinez and Gabby Keller each had two hits. Alyssa Cuevas drove in a pair in the victory for Buffalo, which got a complete-game win from Bobbi Langlois.

HOW THEY SCORED, GAME 1:
• The Hawks got on the board in the top of the first, with Ferguson lacing a home run to left center for her first longball of the year and a 1-0 lead.
• The score remained that way until the bottom of the third, when the Bulls tied the score on a two-out RBI single from Keller.
• In the fourth, Buffalo took its first lead, with Cuevas scoring a pair on a bases-loaded single to right that made it 3-1.
• The Hawks got a pair back in the top of the fifth, with Newkirk plating DeCiantis on an RBI single and Dazalla scoring on a double steal.
• The bottom of the sixth proved pivotal, as the Bulls netted three runs on three hits and two errors to hold a 6-3 advantage.
• In the top of the seventh, the Hawks rallied with two away, as Newkirk plated DeCiantis on a single and Dazalla came in on a throwing error, but Newkirk was stranded at second to end the game.

GAME 2: LONGWOOD 7, HARTFORD 4
Wilkerson's three-run homer in the bottom of the fourth broke open a close game and Pereira's stellar performance in the circle carried the Hawks to the win. Danielle DeMarco went 3-for-4 in the win, while Dazalla drove in a pair. Eight of the nine Hawks in the starting lineup scored in the victory.
 
Devon Bitler had two hits for the Spartans, as Pereira and Wilkerson limited NSU to just four hits. Megan Przeslawski was carded with the loss after giving up seven runs, four earned, in 3 1/3 frames.
 
HOW THEY SCORED, GAME 2:
• Norfolk State struck first with a run on a throwing error in the bottom of the first to take a 1-0 lead.
• Hartford came right back in the top of the second, with Brittany Wallace delivering an RBI single and Dazalla plating both Wallace and Amber Mianti on a base hit to right center for a 3-1 lead.
• The Hawks made the lead 6-1 in the third with Ferguson drawing a walk, DeMarco delivering a single and Wilkerson ripping a homer to left to plate three runs.
• In the fourth, DeMarco added an RBI bunt single to plate Dazalla for a 7-1 lead.
• Hartford pushed the lead to 8-1 on a double steal with Newkirk coming home.
• Norfolk State got a run back on a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the sixth to close the scoring.
 
UP NEXT:
The Hawks play two more games on Sunday in Norfolk, taking on Buffalo at 9:30 a.m. and Norfolk State at 2:30 p.m. Live stats will be available on NSUSpartans.com and updates will be provided on Twitter (@HartfordSB).