Softball: Terriers’ Late Rally Falls Short in Extra-Inning Loss to Army West Point

By Grace Robbins

Boston – The Boston University Softball Team (29-15, 10-2 PL) dropped a hard-fought 6-5 Patriot League contest to the Army West Point Black Knights (27-20, 10-2 PL) on Sunday, falling in a high-stakes, nine-inning series finale between two conference title contenders.

“Sometimes when it rains, it pours,” said BU Head Coach Ashley Waters. “I don’t think it was our best weekend of softball.”

Terriers junior pitcher Kasey Ricard took the loss, allowing five earned runs on 11 hits while striking out nine, moving her record to 20-9. 

Army split the game in the circle between starter Katelyn Flanders and reliever Breanna Izzo. Flanders gave up five earned runs on 10 hits, while Izzo earned the win with 3.1 no-hit innings and five strikeouts.

The game started off with early pressure from Army, as infielders Taylor Brown and Ashton White each singled in the top of the first. But, Ricard worked through the jam with a pair of flyouts to escape without damage.

The Terriers answered soon after. Junior infielder Brooke Deppiesse was hit by a pitch and moved to third after junior infielder Megan Coyle singled to right-center. 

Freshman outfielder Camryn Lyons followed with a softly hit infield single off Flanders’s glove, plating Deppiesse for the game’s first run.

Army answered in the third. Freshman utility player Annie Christiana led off with a single to left-center, followed by Brown’s second hit of the day — a double into the right-center gap. 

White then laid down a bunt to bring Christiana home and tie the game. Ricard responded by shutting the door with back-to-back strikeouts and a lineout to end the inning.

BU responded in the bottom half of the inning, with Deppiesse once again leading the charge. On a 1-2 count, she ripped a one-out double down the right field line, and Coyle followed with a walk.

Freshman infielder Kieran McHugh then came through with a clutch RBI single, scoring Deppiesse. Flanders settled in after that, but the Terriers were back on top.

The momentum swung in the fourth when Army put up a four-run inning.

Infielder Leila Hurst opened with a nine-pitch walk, and pinch-runner Sam Bocis moved to second on outfielder Maaika Dones’s sharp single back to Ricard.

Outfielder Sienna Tepley laid down a bunt and reached safely, with all runners advancing on a throwing error by sophomore third baseman Kyomi Apalit. Bocis scored on the play.

With no outs and runners at the corners, Christiana singled up the middle, bringing home Dones and moving Tepley to third. 

After a popup, White delivered again with a single to center to score Tepley. White then stole second, drawing a throw that allowed Christiana to dash home and cap the rally. 

BU finally escaped the inning on a groundout, but the damage was done.

BU’s lineup shuffled in the following innings after Deppiesse exited with an injury, forcing players into positions they weren’t accustomed to.

“I have people out of position … It was definitely unique,” Waters said. “It’s all hands-on-deck when you’re in conference play. We did our best to win, but it just wasn’t our day.” 

Both teams went quiet until the Terriers strung together a two-out rally in the sixth.

Apalit singled, and Christopher followed with another base hit. Pinch hitter Tyesha Williams reached on a fielder’s choice, and after a flyout, BU made its move.

Pinch hitter Sophie Naivar drew a walk to load the bases for Coyle, who came through with a bases-clearing double into the right-center gap to tie the game at five. 

The hit knocked Flanders out of the game and sent the teams to extras.

“I was proud of us for coming back and being in that game, but we gave away too many runs,” Waters said. “With good teams, obviously, you can’t do that.”

The game-deciding moment came in the top of the ninth. Brown led off with a single on a full count, then advanced to second on White’s groundout. 

Utility player Breanna Coonfare followed with a bunt and reached on a throwing error by Ricard — a mistake that allowed Brown to score the go-ahead run.

Izzo shut the door in the bottom of the ninth, retiring the Terriers in order to seal the win for the Black Knights.

The Terriers look to snap their two-game skid on Tuesday when they host the Harvard Crimson at the BU Softball Field. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. and the game will be streamed live on ESPN+.