Weekend Series with Lafayette Looms for the Terriers

After two midweek games with the University of Massachusetts – Lowell and Bryant University, the Boston University Terriers (16-20) are set to continue their Patriot League campaign as they host the Lafayette Leopards (12-24) for a three game series.

Leading the way for BU is Brittany Younan, the junior infielder from Chico, California. The Fossil Ridge alum currently sports a .365 batting average to go with her 19 runs-batted-in, which trails team leader Alex Heinen by two, along with her team best 127 at-bats. Nipping at her heals is Moriah Connolley, whose two-out RBI single sent the Terriers to extra innings in their 5-1 victory over the River Hawks. Connolley’s 23 runs scored are tied for the team lead. The Dunedin, Florida native has also kept pace with Younan as she has racked up a .347 batting average in two fewer at-bats. The pair have been catalysts in the top two slots of BU’s lineup, though Connolley hit as low as sixth earlier on in the season.

The Terriers once again showed off their dynamic duo of pitchers against UML as Lauren Hynes and Melanie Russell fanned a combined eight batters while allowing only one run over 6.1 combined innings. Both Hynes and Russell have been a lights out one and two as they’ve posted 2.62 and 3.22 ERA’s respectively. The two are also the only Terrier pitchers who have tossed complete games this season, as Hynes has seven to Russell’s five.

Oppositely the Leopards come to Boston with a subpar 2-7 record in conference play. Their only two wins have come against the Crusaders of Holy Cross, who are 7-27 overall. The owners of last place in the Patriot League do have a player that commands the game in Brooke Wensel. The freshman hails from Bechtelsville, Pennsylvania and has made her way on base 40 times in her 113 at-bats. Her .348 average leads the team while her 16 RBI’s trail only senior Allison Brown.

On the mound the Leopards have fallen victim to poor performances from their staff, as every Lafayette hurler has a sub-.500 record. The one feather in the caps of the Leopards’ rotation is their ability to pitch deep into games, as a group they’ve hurled 15 of them on the season.

As the Terriers head down the home stretch here in April it is imperative to pick up these crucial conference wins if they want to sneak into the playoff. If the time comes when they are eliminated from post-season play, sending a message to the rest of the league that they will not go quietly into summer would speak volumes of the direction Ashley Waters is taking the program.