Softball: Terriers continue strong start with performance in San Diego Classic

By Charlie DeMatteo

Boston University Softball (15-5) went 4-2 this weekend at the San Diego Classic, taking down Montana (0-20) 9-1, Long Beach State (7-12) 2-0, San Diego State (13-7) 5-3, and San Diego (6-15) 10-1. The Terriers dropped a game against SDSU 2-0 and a game against Long Beach State 5-1.

The Terriers got off to a strong start on Friday as they finished off Montana in five innings thanks to a mercy rule win. Junior shortstop Kayla Roncin got things started for BU with a single in the first inning that scored junior center fielder Lauren Keleher. Julie Phelps responded for Montana in the second driving in Kendall Curtis, but that would be all the scoring for Montana on Friday.

BU kicked things into gear in the second inning. Keleher started with a double that drove in graduate first baseman Nicole Amodio and senior catcher Audrey Sellers. Later in the second freshman, second baseman Brooke Deppiesse scored Keleher with a sacrifice fly to make it 4-1 Terriers. Then, sophomore left fielder Tyesha Williams doubled to left center to drive in Graduate outfielder Emily Gant and senior third baseman Caitlin Coker to make it 6-1 BU.

BU tacked on three more in the third inning thanks to a Coker single and Deppiesse double and cruised from there. Senior pitcher Allison Boazx got the win for the Terriers as she tossed three scoreless innings. Freshman pitcher Haley Ganino and senior pitcher Lizzy Avery also chipped with an inning each to finish off the win for BU.

BU’s second game on Friday was not as smooth as the first. Things started off well for BU as Coker drove in Roncin with a single in the first, but BU’s pitching could not contain LBSU’s offense. A two-run homer by Jacquelyn Bickar off BU freshman pitcher Kasey Ricard with the game tied put LBSU up 3-1. Then in the fifth inning, Teah Thies homered off of Avery to slam the door on a 5-1 win for the Sharks.

BU did manage seven hits in Friday’s afternoon game, but couldn’t come up with the big ones to take down LBSU.

Saturday morning saw a rematch against LBSU. A tightly contested matchup saw a Deppiesse single in the first which scored two, one off of a throwing error, be the only offense in the game. Boaz threw an absolute gem over seven innings, striking out four and walking just one in the shutout victory.

Later on Saturday, the Terriers went up against SDSU in the first of two matchups over the weekend. Similarly to Saturday’s first game, this one was closely contested. Avery lasted just two-thirds of an inning against the Aztecs, giving up a run on three hits. Jillian Celis doubled to left in the first inning to give SDSU the early lead, and tacked on another run in the fourth off of Ricard thanks to an AJ Murphy sacrifice fly.

The Terriers mustered just three hits and couldn’t figure out SDSU pitcher Sarah Lehman who tossed five scoreless innings in the win.

In a rematch against the Aztecs on Sunday, the bats were alive for the Terriers. A Williams single followed by an Amodio double in the second gave BU a 3-0 lead. However, the Aztecs responded with three of their own thanks to a sacrifice fly and an error by Roncin. The Terriers responded though as Amodio came up with a huge two-run single in the sixth inning to give BU the 5-3 lead and the win.

Boaz was steady again on the mound for BU as the Terriers earned another victory behind her on the mound.

The final game of BU’s weekend came in blowout fashion as they dispatched the Torreros in just five innings. The Terriers got production from all over the field: Keleher, Roncin, Coker, Gant, Amodio, junior Kate Pryor, Williams and Sellers all drove in runs. Ricard tossed five stellar innings as the Terriers ended their weekend with a big 10-1 win over San Diego.

The Terriers will stay in California for a matchup with Cal State Fullerton on Wednesday at 9 p.m.