Softball: Terriers dominate BC in Battle of Comm Ave after Fifth Inning Eruption
By Charlie DeMatteo
Boston University Softball (43-7, 12-0 PL) defeated the Boston College Eagles (21-25, 3-15 ACC) 11-0 in five innings in Chestnut Hill on Tuesday. With the win, BU has now won 23 consecutive games in what is becoming a historic season.
With their 43rd win of the season and 22nd shutout, both are now tied for program records at BU.
The Terriers carried a slim 1-0 lead into the fifth inning before erupting for 10 runs in the top of the fifth to take down the Eagles thanks to the run rule. Senior P Allison Boaz notched her 19th win of the season in five innings of two-hit ball.
“I thought we stepped up and played a really complete game,” BU head coach Ashley Waters said postgame. “We made the plays we needed to on defense and offensively we ran away with it which is what we need to do.”
The Terriers got started early in the first inning when senior 3B Caitlin Coker grounded into a fielder’s choice at second base to score junior OF Lauren Keleher and make it 1-0 BU.
“To generate a run early is a great thing,” Waters said.
For the majority of the game, the story was Boaz on the mound, and she was stellar. In her five innings of work, Boaz allowed just two hits, one of which came in the bottom of the fifth after the BU offensive explosion. Boaz also struck out four to bring her season total to 126.
“Getting ahead in the count pitching-wise and not really letting them get on base very much did it for us,” Boaz said.
While it looked like Boaz was going to have to carry the BU offense to a win, the top of the fifth inning changed that quickly.
Keleher started things off with a one-out walk, and then the barrage began. Back-to-back doubles by junior SS Kayla Roncin and Coker added two quick runs to make it 3-0 BU. Back-to-back singles after a pitching change for the Eagles by graduate OF Emily Gant and freshman 2B Lauren Deppiesse tacked on two more for the Terriers to make it 5-0 BU.
After a fielder’s choice by sophomore OF Tyesha Williams and a single for senior C Audrey Sellers made it 7-0 BU, Roncin came up to bat with the bases loaded.
Up in the count 2-1, Roncin launched a grand slam to left field, clearing the bases and making it 11-0 Terriers to finish off a 10-run fifth inning.
“Kayla is amazing, she keeps it simple and has faith in herself,” Boaz said of her teammate. “She leads this team in a powerful way, and I’m proud of her.”
Roncin finished the day with four hits and five RBI on a monster day at the plate.
Boaz allowed a single in the bottom of the fifth but finished off the Eagles to close out the Terrier victory in five innings.
BU will look to extend their winning streak at home on Friday with a pair of games against the Army West Point Black Knights starting at 2 p.m.