Softball: Terriers upset #13 Georgia at Red & Black Showcase

Boston University softball on the mound. The Terriers went 3-2 in the Red & Black Showcase last weekend. SAM ROBERTS/ FREEZE FRAME

By Hannah Yoshinaga 

Boston University softball played in its second tournament of the year last weekend, which included an upset of 13th-ranked Georgia, the tournament hosts.

The Friday win was the Terriers’ first against an SEC team since 2009. Earlier in the day, BU defeated Purdue to earn its first victory versus a Big Ten team since 2018. The Terriers had never previously beaten two Power Five schools in one day in program history.

Junior pitcher Lizzy Avery posted 13 strikeouts, while junior pitcher Allison Boaz threw seven. Boaz ended the weekends with two wins, including the win against Georgia, and a save against Purdue.

Game 1: BU defeats Purdue 5-2

The Terriers didn’t waste any time getting on the board against the Boilermakers. Senior center fielder Jen Horita, BU’s second batter, doubled down the right-field line in her first at-bat. Sophomore shortstop Kayla Roncin brought her home moments later to give the Terriers an early one-run advantage.

Sophomore right fielder Lauren Keleher drew a walk in the top of the second, later advancing to third on a single and a sac fly. An RBI single from junior catcher Audrey Sellers scored Keleher to extend the lead to 2-0.

Neither team scored until the top of the fourth, when Horita’s RBI single scored junior third baseman Caitlin Coker.

Coker found herself rounding the bases again in the sixth when she homered to right for the 4-0 lead.

Trouble came in the bottom of the sixth when BU couldn’t seem to buy an out. A single from Purdue catcher Kaeley Hallada scored shortstop Rachel Becker, who previously advanced on a wild pitch. The Boilermakers brought in another run on an RBI single by right fielder Rylee Platusic immediately afterward. Boaz registered a strikeout and a groundout to slow Purdue’s comeback effort.

Keleher added to the Terriers’ lead with an RBI double in the seventh to bring the score to 5-2. Boaz closed out the game for BU.

Game 2: BU defeats Georgia 6-1

The Terriers again took an early lead against Georgia. After Coker knocked a leadoff single into left field, a triple by Roncin allowed Coker to reach home for a 1-0 lead.

With the Bulldogs unable to get much of anything going on offense, BU took advantage in the third and extended its lead to 4-0 on a three-run homer by senior first baseman Nicole Amodio that scored Roncin and Horita.

Georgia’s only run of the game came in the fourth, due in part to a wild pitch that allowed designated hitter Lacey Fincher to get to second after initially reaching on a fielder’s choice. Fincher came around the bases on a double by catcher Lyndi Rae Davis, but the Bulldogs never seriously threatened again.

Roncin recorded her second RBI of the game in the fifth when her RBI groundout scored Coker.

In the seventh, Coker scored for the third time after Horita doubled to right.

Game 3: BU defeats Delaware 8-4

The Terriers got into a bases-loaded jam early in the first with only one out. A fielder’s choice by Delaware pitcher Kailey Christian scored first baseman Brooke Glanden but limited the damage to only one run.

BU quickly nabbed the lead back with a three-run second inning. Keleher drew a walk to begin the inning and eventually advanced to third on a throwing error. She scored when senior left fielder Emily Gant reached on a fielder’s choice. The Terriers’ first out came on a sacrifice bunt by senior second baseman AJ Huerta-Leipner, but the play put freshman pinch runner Tyesha Williams on third.

Williams subsequently scored unearned when freshman pinch hitter Kennedy Ryman reached on a throwing error. A hit-by-pitch and a sacrifice fly later allowed Gant to score, which was also unearned.

The Blue Hens leveled the score the very next inning. Christian’s RBI single scored pinch runner Erica Paisley, and a passed ball allowed second baseman Brittney Mendoza to reach home.

BU and Delaware went back and forth during their next chances to bat as well; while Gant tripled to bring Amodio in, the Blue Hens picked up another run soon thereafter.

Though the game remained tied heading into the bottom of the fourth, the Terriers plated two runs on a fielding error by Delaware shortstop Chloe Blantz.

BU added to its lead in the sixth when Amodio rocked a two-run homer to score Roncin, giving the Terriers an 8-4 advantage it maintained for the rest of the contest.

Game 4: Georgia defeats BU 8-1

After the Bulldogs loaded the bases, second baseman Sydney Kuma drew a walk to score left fielder Savana Sikes. Georgia picked up two more runs in the second on a throwing error that allowed right fielder Aniyah Black and shortstop Ellie Armistead to reach home.

The Terriers scored their lone run of the game in the third on a RBI single by Coker that scored Sellers.

Kuma got back on the board in the fifth with a solo homer to center. Later in the same inning, the Bulldogs brought in four more runs on an RBI groundout and Mosley’s three-run home run.

Game 5: Delaware defeats BU 9-1

The Blue Hens scored in every inning but one in their defeat of BU on Sunday, which ended in only six innings.

The Terriers scored once in the fourth, when Williams’ RBI single scored Horita.

Delaware third baseman Hanna Garber scored four times in four at-bats, also knocking in two RBI and homering twice. Catcher Hallie Kisamore and left fielder Morgan Olynyk also recorded two RBI each.

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The Terriers travel to Clemson, S.C. next weekend to take part in the Clemson Classic. They start the weekend with a matchup against the Tigers at 2:30 p.m. on Friday.

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