Softball: Terriers Sweep Yale in Doubleheader

By Jose Rodriguez

BOSTON – The Boston University Softball Team (14-10) kicked off its home schedule with a doubleheader sweep over Yale on Tuesday.

In the first game, junior infielder Brooke Deppiesse went 2-for-3 with two triples and four RBIs, leading to a 8-2 victory for the Terriers.

BU junior pitcher Kasey Ricard improved to 9-6 on the season, allowing two earned runs on five hits while striking out 10 and walking one.

“Kasey did a really good job, after giving up that home run, just bearing down and realizing it’s a long game. I need to adjust,” said BU Head Coach Ashley Waters. “She got sharper as she went.”

For the Bulldogs, reliever Hannah Turner took the loss in relief, bringing her record to 0-5 for the season. She gave up two walks, four hits and six earned runs in just 1.1 innings.

The scoring started in the top of the first inning when Yale outfielder Sophia Woodridge hit a two-run home run to center field, giving the Bulldogs a quick 2-0 lead.

The Terriers quickly responded in the bottom half of the inning. With a runner on first and a 1-2 count, Deppiesse hit an opposite-field triple that slipped through the outfield gap in right-center field, cutting Yale’s lead in half.

With two runners on base, senior outfielder Tyesha Williams capitalized on the first pitch, driving home sophomore utility player Kyomi Apalit from second base, leveling the score at 2-2 as they headed into the second inning.

Freshman outfielder Camryn Lyons sparked BU’s offense in the second inning with a stand-up double. However, Yale pitcher Caitlin LaFerney retired the next three hitters.

Ricard dominated in the circle, striking out the side in the third and adding two more in the fourth, bringing her total to nine through four innings.

“I was using a curve rise in the third inning, especially on the lefties,” Ricard said. “I haven’t faced a lot of lefties in a row yet this year, so I think coming in on them in the third inning was definitely what surprised them and made them swing and miss.”

In the fifth, BU capitalized with two runners in scoring position and one out as junior infielder Megan Coyle delivered a two-run single, putting the Terriers ahead 4-2.

An inning later, BU loaded the bases with one out before Deppiesse crushed her second triple of the game, clearing the bases and extending the lead to 7-2.
“I was thinking she was going to hit me inside, so I was hunting that,” Deppieese said. “Whatever I did moved the runners, so whether that’s a sac fly or a base hit, I was fine with anything.”

BU added one more run in the first game, carrying even more momentum into the second game.

BU exploded for seven runs in the first two innings of the second game, cruising to an 8-0 mercy-rule shutout to complete the sweep over Yale.

Junior pitcher Haley Ganino earned her first win of the season by pitching 4.1 innings and allowing only two hits. She walked four batters and struck out one.

Bulldog pitcher Sienna Reynolds was charged with the loss, bringing her record to 3-4 for the season. She pitched one inning in relief, giving up three hits, four earned runs and walking two batters.

The Terriers quickly jumped ahead in the first, putting two runners in scoring position with no outs.

Senior utility player Sydney Pecoraro brought home sophomore outfielder Kyle Doherty from third, followed by Coyle’s RBI single to right. BU tacked on two more runs in the inning, building a 4-0 lead after one.

In the second inning, Deppiesse ripped a one-out double down the third baseline. Pecoraro followed with an opposite-field triple to right field.

Coyle then launched a two-run homer to left-center, pushing BU’s lead to 7-0. After two innings, the Terriers held a commanding advantage.

“Coyle swung a really great bat in that second game,” Waters said. “A leadoff triple, that’s always really great momentum.”

Deppiesse was on second when Coyle drove in the eighth run of the game.

“We had some really hard hits and really hard pieces,” Waters said. “We did a good job of just putting the ball in play and doing what we needed to.”

The Bulldogs had runners on the corners with one out in the fifth. However, freshman pitcher Ava Johnson came in for relief and managed to retire the next two batters, securing an 8-0 victory under the mercy rule.

The Terriers will aim to build on their momentum when they visit Bucknell in Lewisberg, Pa., for a doubleheader on March 22, beginning at 12 p.m.