Softball: Terriers stay hot, extinguish UConn’s win streak

By Bobby Serafin 

Wednesday’s contest saw Boston University softball (20-13) win its ninth-straight game. The Terriers took down the red-hot UConn Huskies, who came into the game with their own five-game win streak.

BU leads the all-time series against UConn by a tally of 12-8, and the Terriers have won their last five matchups dating back to 2013.

BU’s recent run of dominance has come on both sides of the ball, with the Terriers generating runs up and down the lineup while limiting opponents to less than two runs in each of their last eight games.

BU stayed the away crowd by keeping the Huskies off the scoreboard until the sixth inning. Both junior pitcher Allison Boaz and UConn starter Elise Sokolsky went three scoreless to begin the game, but the Terriers broke the door open in the fourth.

UConn pulled Sokolsky after just 56 pitches. Her replacement, Meghan O’Neill, was credited for four hits and five earned runs in just one-third of an inning. After a single and wild pitch brought the first two Terrier runs in, senior left fielder Emily Gant came through with a massive three-run shot to sway the momentum in BU’s favor.

The senior’s lone hit of the day was a big one and her second home run in as many games. Gant is now hitting .446 on the season, which ranks second among Terrier batters.

UConn showed some fight in the final frames, serving up four hits in the sixth to finally get a run across against Boaz. BU head coach Ashley Waters subsequently replaced Boaz with junior pitcher Lizzy Avery to finish off the game.

Despite the Terriers not recording a hit through the final three innings, the lineup once again relied on its depth to get the job done; seven different batters recorded at least one hit during the game.

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The Terriers now face a three-game set against Bucknell at home this weekend. The Bison have won just four of 27 games this season and one of nine on the road.

Junior pitcher Lizzy Avery, who has given up seven runs in her last four starts, will likely get the opening game nod. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m. on Saturday.