Softball: Terrier pitching powers sweep of Harvard

By Hannah Yoshinaga 

Boston University softball (25-13, 6-0 PL) took two games against Harvard (12-15, 6-3 Ivy) on Tuesday, defeating the Crimson to extend its win streak to 14 games.

Strikeout pitching by the Terriers helped to fuel the victory; junior pitcher Lizzy Avery K’d a career-best 12 hitters in game 2, while junior pitcher Allison Boaz and senior pitcher Julia Handfield combined for eight in the first game. Boaz and Handfield also limited the Crimson to just four hits in game 1.

Game 1: BU defeats Harvard 5-0

The Terriers put Harvard’s pitchers to work right away, with junior third baseman Caitlin Coker drawing a seven-pitch walk in BU’s first at-bat of the day. Coker stole second shortly thereafter, and a single by sophomore right fielder Lauren Keleher in the next at-bat brought the Terriers’ first run home.

Two more RBI singles in the third inning — one by senior left fielder Emily Gant, the other by senior first baseman Nicole Amodio — scored two more runs and prompted a Harvard pitching change.

Coker challenged new pitcher Brianna Jewett in the fourth, working a nine-pitch plate appearance and sending the final ball over the outfield wall for a solo homer.

Game 2: BU defeats Harvard 8-1

The Crimson offense picked up in the second game, generating seven hits in six innings. However, Harvard still struggled to convert any of those hits to runs — leaving eight on base and bringing in only one run.

The Crimson got on the board first after designated player Allison Heffley tapped a single to left field that scored center fielder Lauren Bobowski.

From that point forward, the Terriers provided all the scoring. BU loaded the bases to start the inning, and a hit-by-pitch against Coker allowed Amodio to score. A fielder’s choice scored senior second baseman AJ Huerta-Leipner, and a double by Gant brought Coker and Keleher around the bases.

In the third, Huerta-Leipner cranked a homer to center that also scored sophomore catcher Lauren Nett, increasing BU’s advantage to five runs.

A sixth-inning single by graduate center fielder Jen Horita scored Coker and sophomore shortstop Kayla Roncin. Harvard was unable to respond in the bottom of the inning, ending the game early in favor of the Terriers.

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BU plays one game against Providence on Sunday at 12 p.m. at home.