Softball: BU SWEEPS BUCKNELL FOR 16TH STRAIGHT VICTORY
By Michael Wax
Boston University softball (36-7, 9-0 PL) swept another weekend series, defeating Bucknell by a combined score of 17-6.
Senior pitcher Allison Boaz and freshman pitcher Kasey Ricard accounted for all 21 innings. Boaz tossed nine innings while giving up four runs (two earned) over two outings, while Ricard put up 12 innings of work, giving up two earned runs over two outings.
GAME 1: BU DEFEATS BUCKNELL 5-1
After Boaz and Bucknell sophomore pitcher Savannah Jones combined for two scoreless innings, Boston University broke through with two outs in the top of the third. After a double from junior shortstop Kayla Roncin and senior third baseman Caitlin Coker was hit by a pitch, graduate student and designated player Emily Gant singled to right field on a 1-2 pitch to score both and advanced to second when the throw home was too late. Freshman second baseman Brooke Deppiesse doubled home Gant to give the Terriers a 3-0 lead, necessitating a pitching change for Bucknell. With senior Olivia Marinelli on the mound, sophomore left fielder Tyesha Williams lined a 3-2 pitch into left field to score Deppiesse. Despite loading the bases, BU’s lead stayed at 4-0.
BU loaded the bases once again in the top of the fifth, but failed to build on their lead as junior center fielder Lauren Keleher popped out to third base.
Bucknell would get on the board in the bottom of the fifth, starting a rally thanks to an unforced error from Duppiesse. Bucknell freshman center fielder would score after back-to-back groundouts, giving the Bison their first run of the series. With a runner on third and two outs, junior right fielder Lauren Nett was forced to make a great catch to preserve the 4-1 lead.
BU once again got a two-out run, this time in the top of the seventh. On a 3-1 pitch, grand student first baseman Nicole Amodio hit one over the left center field fence to make it a 5-1 game, her third home run of the season. Amodio became the eighth Terrier in softball history with 20 career home runs with the homer.
Boaz put together a mostly peaceful seventh inning, which finished with a spectacular defensive play from Roncin to end it. Boaz’s 17th victory of the year came with yet another complete game and third punchouts.
GAME 2: BU DEFEATS BUCKNELL 3-0
Game 2 saw freshman pitcher Kasey Ricard take the hill for BU opposite Bucknell senior pitcher Kaiya Burton. BU got on the board early, as Roncin reached on an error from third baseman Noelle Gardon, and Gant singled her home two batters later. The two teams, almost uncharacteristically, would go the next three and a half innings without scoring a run on either side. Ricard compiled six strikeouts during that time, including striking out the side in the third inning.
BU would then find some insurance runs in the top of the fifth. After a triple from Keleher, she scored on a groundout to second off the bat of Roncin. Coker then followed with a triple of her own, this time down the right field line, and would score on a sacrifice fly to center by Gant to make it 3-0.
Ricard continued her dominance on the mound, putting up a complete game shutout and striking out her tenth batter to seal the victory.
GAME 3: BU DEFEATS BUCKNELL 9-5
Ricard would go back into the circle for Game 3, and BU got started early, taking advantage of the ‘two-out rally’ to plate their first four runs of the game. Gant tripled home Coker to give BU the 1-0 lead after one, and BU would tack onto their lead in the second inning with two outs. Keleher singled into center field on a 1-2 pitch to score Amodio, and Coker lined a 1-0 fastball into right field for a triple, which scored both Roncin and Keleher to make it 4-0.
BU extended their lead to 7-0 in the fourth inning. Keleher got things started with an RBI single to score senior catcher Audrey Sellers, then took second and third on an error. Roncin doubled home Keleher on the very next pitch, and Gant extended the inning two batters later thanks to an error by Bucknell senior second baseman Kailyn Lorberter. Unlike the first two instances, however, Bucknell would respond right away. Senior shortstop Chase Knapp tripled home a run to break the shutout bid, then scored on a sacrifice fly to cut the lead to 7-2.
BU would put runs back on the board to once again make it a seven-run game in the sixth. Coker hit her second triple of the game to score Keleher and scored when Gant followed on the very next pitch. Once again, Bucknell would respond in the bottom half of the inning. With Allison Boaz on the mound to replace Richard, Savannah Jones, who started on the mound for Bucknell in game three, would send a 1-0 pitch into the left centerfield gap for a 2 RBI double and would come around to score on a single from Lorberter to cut the deficit to a slams lead. Boaz would shut the door afterward, giving BU their 16th straight victory.
The Terriers will begin a doubleheader against Maine at the BU Softball Field on Tuesday, April 18. The first game starts at 1 pm.