BU Softball readies for Patriot League play

By: Greg Levinsky

Over half of the regular season has come and gone, and the Boston University softball team will finally begin conference play this weekend in defense of its Patriot League title.

The Terriers (14-15) open up league play with a three-game home series against Holy Cross (3-19, 1-2 Patriot League). They’ll play a double header Saturday and a single game Sunday.

“Going into league play we obviously have a target on our back coming off of last year’s championship,” sophomore outfielder Marina Sylvestri said. “However we’re not taking anything for granted. We still see ourselves as underdogs and we know we can’t give any of our opponents even an inch in conference. Going into this weekend our main mindset is to be aggressive and attack right out of the gates.”

In search of their third Patriot League title in four years, the Preseason league favorite Terriers look to follow an outstanding 2018 league slate in which they went 15-3 and won 26 of their final 31 games. In the four year’s of Waters’s tenure, BU has posted a 40-12 mark in conference play.

Emily Morrow leads BU with a .326 batting average. The senior second baseman is the only BU player batting above .300 and has 12 RBIs. Freshman outfielder AJ Huerta-Leipner has been strong, batting .271 with 3 home runs and 16 RBIs.

Freshman Nicole Amodio (.256 average, 2 home runs), sophomores Sylvestri (.269 average) and Jen Horita, and seniors Alexa Ponce (.262 average, 10 RBIs), Alex Heinen (team-high 6 home runs, 21 RBIs), Madi Killebrew (3 home runs, 10 RBIs) have appeared in all 29 of BU’s games.

BU graduated four multi-year starters, and the Terriers are still adjusting to find the best positions for a plethora of underclassmen.

“We’re definitely a much younger team than last year however still have a lot of talent,” Sylvestri said. “The lineups have been changing a lot lately but I think everyone is finally figuring out they’re role on the team.”

Sensational sophomore Ali DuBois continues her dominance in the circle, posting a 1.70 ERA across 98.2 innings pitched with 107 strikeouts. Versatile freshman Emily Gant emerged both in the circle (2.55 ERA in 66 innings) and at the plate. BU is 2-0 at home this season.

Of the Terriers final 25 scheduled games, 18 are Patriot League contests. Sylvestri said the entire roster is making contributions.

“I think everything is starting to fall into place right in time for conference play,” Sylvestri said. “We’re getting a lot better at timely hitting and the defense is staying tight. Most evidently our pitchers have been outstanding. They’re really dealing and keeping us in games.”

Greg Levinsky can be reached at glevinsk@bu.edu. Follow him on Twitter @GregLevinsky