Updated: March 22 at 3:30 p.m.

Getting down to basics was key for softball’s doubleheader sweep of Buffalo Tuesday.

The Colonials (13-11) were able to capture their second and third straight wins against the Bulls (3-21) at home thanks to clutch hits and a clean defensive game. In the afternoon doubleheader, the Colonials took a decisive 6-1 win in the first contest and 7-3 in the second, extending the Bulls’ losing streak to seven.

“Our offense has definitely picked up this season” senior shortstop Megan Linn said. “It’s one of the things we’ve really been working on this year.”

Linn posted a .500 (4-for-8) average with five runs scored on the day. In game one, Linn contributed to the Colonials’ early lead with a leadoff triple and scored on freshman catcher Priscilla Martinez’s RBI ground out.

The hard-hitting freshmen on the Colonials were also crucial contributors to the win, Linn said.

In game one, freshman Gabby Gallone batted in what would hold as the game-winning run in the second inning with a single down the right field, sending freshman first baseman Elena Shelepak to home plate.

“One of our main focuses [was to] have really good, conscious at bats,” head coach James DeFeo said. “We just stuck to our plan and executed at bat.”

Sloppy defensive play by Buffalo allowed the Colonials to extend their lead in the opening tilt. To close out the second inning, the Colonials capitalized on a Buffalo fielding error that allowed Gallone to score. After doubling to left field and stealing second, junior center fielder Morgan Reinhart scored on a second error by the Bulls.

The visitors got on the board in the top of the fifth, but the Colonials were defensively solid, allowing only one run and three hits throughout the game.

Again taking an early lead in the nightcap, the Colonials defense was pivotal in holding off the Bulls’ comeback bid. In the top of the sixth, the Bulls batted in two runs on a single to left center to bring the score within two at 5-3.

The Colonials were able to hold off the late rally by the Bulls, answering with their own two-run inning. Freshman catcher Jenna Cone’s double to center field batted in Linn and freshman left fielder Jessica Linquist to cement the Colonials’ 7-3 win.

Despite the comeback attempt by the Bulls, Linn said the tenacity of the Colonials squad allowed them to carry the lead throughout the contest.

“We’re trying to play every single inning as strong as we can,” Linn said. “We don’t want a team to come back in the sixth [or] seventh and beat us so we’ve been working on finishing strong.”

DeFeo credited the wins to sharp defensive play, highlighted by the starting pitchers, freshman Kaitlin Buff and sophomore Jayme Cone.

“We just had to get back to the basics, throwing one pitch at a time and one out at a time,” DeFeo said. “Once we settled in pitching and made some plays on defense the rest took care of itself.”

Buff (4-4) pitched through five innings in the first game, allowing only three hits and one run. Sophomore Ashley Pilcher came in to relieve Buff in the top of the sixth and held the Bulls scoreless.

In the second game, Cone (1-1) allowed two hits and one run through five innings. Coming in to relieve Cone, freshman Faith Weber pitched through two innings and allowed three hits and two runs.

“Our pitchers did a really good job hitting their spots,” DeFeo said. “They stayed ahead in the count and were really tough [defensively].”

Heading into the weekend with a three-game win streak, the Colonials look to maintain their momentum in its three-game series against A-10 foe Dayton. The weekend series is its first foray into conference play this season.

“We’ve been concentrating on ourselves a lot more the past couple of weeks,” DeFeo said. “I think if we go in and stick to our plan the rest will take care of itself.”

The Colonials first clash with Dayton (12-12) is scheduled for Saturday at noon.

This post was updated to reflect the following correction:
The Hatchet incorrectly reported that GW won its second game by a score of 7-4 and that Kaitlin Buff had a record of 8-8. GW won 7-3 and Buff is 4-4.