Softball: Terriers and Bison Split Double Header

BOSTON — It was the tale of two games for Boston University’s Softball team on Saturday afternoon. In the first, everything went right and they ended with their first Patriot League win. In the second, they left eight runners on base while Bucknell finally got some at-bats to go their way.

Senior Melanie Russell started both games for the Terriers (13-20, 1-4 Patriot League), shining in the first. She allowed a game-opening hit to Amanda Fazio, but Alex Heinen gunned her down trying to steal second. With runners on the corners, she struck out Lauren Hadley to get out of the jam.

Brittany Younan saw the first pitch from Dana Nielsen and drove it over the right field wall. From there, the Terrier offense put up four runs in the bottom of the first. With Emma Wong stealing and Yinka Fasehun pinch-running for Heinen, Christina Martinez fired to second fast enough to trigger a run down. Before the tag could be applied to Wong to end the inning, though, Fasehun had scored from third.

Leadoff hitter Amanda Fazio was the only hitter for the Bison to reach the base paths through the first game with her two singles. Russell added eight strikeouts, including three to strikeout the side in the top of the fourth, to her five innings of work.

Lara Bean allowed the two runners who would score in the bottom of the fifth before Cindy Cherness replaced her. Wong then singled with the bases loaded and scored Gabi Martinez to bring the score to 7-0, one away from a walk off of the mercy variety.

Lauren Hynes, who started at first for game one, whacked a single to left for the final run, with Heinen scoring to trigger the mercy rule and registering an 8-0 win.

Fazio made the switch into the circle while Russell remained for the restart a few minutes later. Despite eight hits allowed, the Bison stranded 8 Terriers.

Neither side scored until Gabi Martinez singled to bring home Moriah Connolly in the bottom of the third. From there, the fourth and fifth kept both teams off the scoreboard.

The Bison scored four times on four hits in the seventh to put the game out of reach for Boston. Mariah Midyette, Ryanne Rokos, Chaylen Andolino, and Fazio all scored to cement the 5-1 loss for BU.

The teams will meet again tomorrow afternoon for the final game of a three game set. First pitch is scheduled for noon from BU Softball Field.