Softball: BU Outlasts UMass Amherst
BOSTON – The 21/23rd ranked Boston University softball team (32-4) bested UMass Amherst (11-24) at home in a 2-0 defensive showdown on Wednesday afternoon.
Coming off a 5-4 victory on Tuesday, the Terriers hosted the Minutewomen, seeking to extend their four-game win streak, which started last weekend against Colgate.
Allison Boaz started the game for BU a day after pitching three innings against Providence College. The graduate pitcher had a sloppy start to the inning, letting up two singles against the first Minutewomen batters she faced. Boaz would self-correct, inducing poor contact to force two fielder’s choice outs and a groundout to close out the scoreless frame.
UMass pitcher Natalee Horton began her start by walking BU senior outfielder Lauren Keleher – the first of three walks Keleher would take on the day. The Patriot League leader in batting average, OPS, and home runs wouldn’t spend long on the basepath. Senior infielder and Patriot League RBI leader Kayla Roncin batted into a double play before a Caitlin Coker groundout ended the first.
Boaz would let up another leadoff hit, a double to UMass senior infielder Abby Packard, to begin the second, but an excellent play on a fielder’s choice at shortstop by Roncin sent Packard back to the dugout. Boaz then notched a strikeout and groundout to strand a Minutewomen runner on base.
The Terriers struck paydirt in the bottom of the inning. Senior pitcher Lizzy Avery was put on base with a walk. Sophomore Brooke Deppiesse followed up with a single to center before senior infielder Kate Pryor hit one of her own to load the bases with one out. Boaz struck a sacrifice fly-out to give BU the lead and extend the Terrier pitcher’s RBI streak to three straight games.
Still facing runners on second and third, Horton struggled to regain her control. The Minutewomen starter hit graduate Audrey Sellers with an errant pitch to reload the bases for BU. A second straight Keleher walk in the ensuing at-bat drove home Deppiesse to extend the Terriers’ lead to two entering the third.
Boaz returned to the circle for one last full inning, pitching two groundouts and a strikeout to preserve BU’s shutout. The third was also the last complete inning for Horton, who struck out two BU batters and forced a groundout to keep the Minutewomen alive.
Reliever Julianne Bolton was excellent during her relief outings for the visitors. The UMass junior began her appearance by escaping a jam with no outs and BU runners on the corners before throwing two more scoreless innings, allowing only two hits and no walks on 39 pitches. However, the Minutewomen were unable to provide any run support.
Coming off a brief relief outing against Providence College, BU sophomore pitcher Kasey Ricard returned to the circle and put together a dominant outing in the circle. The Patriot League ERA, opposing batting average and total strikeouts leader, let up only two hits and struck out seven UMass batters to lock up the 2-0 shutout victory for the Terriers.
BU will end their home stand by contending for the Turnpike Trophy against Holy Cross (8-19) in a three-game in-conference series this weekend. First pitch is scheduled for Saturday at noon.