Terriers Take Weekend Over Army, First Patriot League Series

By: Brian Lombardo

BOSTON — Before the Terriers could begin their Patriot League play, there was a quick tune-up game against rival Boston College.

The Eagles (12-15) traveled down Commonwealth Ave. to take on the Terriers (16-14) in what was a pitcher’s duel. The game saw a total of seven hits between both teams, and the game’s only run came in the final inning by way of a Jordan Chimento solo home run for the Eagles. The battle with the cross-town foe saw the Terriers tighten up defensively, committing only one error.

To open the slate of Patriot League games this season, the Terriers played host to Army West Point. Traditionally, Patriot League series will be played during weekends – a doubleheader on Saturday followed by one Sunday game.

The early game on Saturday needed an extra frame to decide, but it was far from the main storyline. Freshman pitcher Ali Dubois recorded her first Patriot League win in the form of an eighth inning no-hitter. The Terriers finally broke through for themselves in the eighth when they scored three runs by way of a two-run single from Alex Heinen and an RBI single from Emma Wong.

The second game on Saturday was another tight affair that was decided late. The Black Knights’ offense got out to a quick start, scoring runs in both of the first two innings, while their pitching held the Terriers silent. That lasted until the fifth inning, when Alexa Ponce and Kaitlin Sahlinger hit a pair of solo home runs.

But the game was decided in the sixth inning, when an Army single was accompanied by a defensive error. The error allowed for the game-winning run to cross the plate.

Sunday’s game was the rubber match of the series. The Sunday clash was all BU, as Dubois got the start and held Army to only two hits on the day. The Terriers got on the board with two runs in the second inning, which was started off by a Jilee Schanda single, and an RBI single by Ponce for an insurance run in the sixth inning. And the Terriers all but put a bow on the game in the seventh inning, when they added four runs after capitalizing on errors by Army.

After winning their first Patriot League series of the season, the Terriers’s overall record (18-16) and conference record (2-1) are above .500.

The Terriers will play host to Lehigh this upcoming weekend in Patriot League play after their Tuesday night game with Harvard was cancelled.