Softball: Terriers Drops Another Conference Series

By Ethan Pott

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Boston University Softball Team (31-17, 11-4 PL) lost the rubber match against the Lehigh University Mountain Hawks (25-22, 13-5 PL) Sunday, marking BU’s second consecutive Patriot League series loss.

After splitting a doubleheader against Lehigh on Saturday, BU fell short once again in a 13-10 back-and-forth slugfest. 

“We’re just not playing good softball right now,” said BU Head Coach Ashley Waters. “It’s tough. I don’t think we’re hitting our stride when we should be, especially going into the last couple weekends.”

BU struck first off the Mountain Hawks’ pitcher Madison Finnerty in the top of the second inning. Senior designated player Sydney Pecoraro scored on a sacrifice fly by sophomore third baseman Kyomi Apalit to put the Terriers on the board.

Freshman pitcher Danika Nell made her second start for the Terriers after returning from an injury that kept her off the field for all of March. After a scoreless first, Nell loaded the bases in the bottom of the second giving up a single, a walk and an error by the BU shortstop.

“Danika actually threw a pretty good game,” Waters said. “We didn’t do our part on defense. We are not playing complete softball, and we need to find a way to slow things down and take outs when we can get them.”

Lehigh pinch hitter Abbey Tabaka came through with a two-run single, giving the Mountain Hawks a 2-1 lead. Nell regrouped quickly, however, and limited the damage to just two runs.

BU reclaimed the lead in the third inning. Down 0-2 in the count, sophomore center fielder Kylie Doherty launched a solo home run to left field. Doherty leads the Terriers with 12 homers this season — more than Lehigh’s entire team, which has combined for just nine.

The Terriers kept the pressure on after Doherty’s blast. Junior shortstop Brooke Deppiesse drew a walk and moved into scoring position on a base hit down the right field by junior first baseman Megan Coyle.

Lehigh shortstop Peyton Sward made a heads-up play to rob Pecoraro of a base hit on a sharp line drive. However, senior right fielder Tyesha Williams answered with a well-placed bloop single just over Sward’s head, giving the Terriers a 3-2 lead in the top of the third.

“Offensively, we score runs,” Waters said. “We put ourselves in positions to be successful. It was our defense and pitching that didn’t step up when we needed to.”

Freshman left fielder Camryn Lyons made a highlight-reel play in the bottom of the third, leaping at the wall to rob Lehigh left fielder Lindsey Martin of a deep fly ball that would have cleared the fence, preserving a two-run save for the Terriers.

An inning later, Lehigh loaded the bases. First baseman Rory Dudley came through for the Mountain Hawks, delivering a bases-clearing double to drive in three runs and give the Mountain Hawks the lead.

The Terriers replaced Nell with freshman pitcher Ava Johnson following Lehigh’s resurgence. Johnson allowed the inherited runner at third to score on a sacrifice fly but pitched around a two-out base hit.

BU struggled defensively in a tough fourth inning. The Terriers committed three errors in the frame as the Mountain Hawks loaded the bases again. 

Robust defense bailed BU out, however, as Apalit grabbed a sharp ground ball and threw to first in time to retire the runner.

The Terriers began a comeback in the fifth. After hitting a home run earlier in the game, Doherty led off the frame with a single to right field. Deppiesse and Williams then each drew walks, loading the bases for BU. 

Lehigh replaced Finnerty on the mound with right-handed pitcher Chloe Hess, but BU quickly answered with a clutch bases-loaded hit. Lyons singled up the middle, bringing home Doherty and Deppiesse. 

BU then tied the game at 6-6 when Apalit grounded into a fielder’s choice. 

The lead was short-lived as BU regained the advantage with a pinch-hit single by freshman infielder Kieren McHugh, scoring their seventh run. The Mountain Hawks reinserted Finnerty, who ended BU’s effort on a groundout.

After two base hits to start the fifth, Waters turned to junior pitcher Kasey Ricard in relief for Johnson. But Dudley quickly capitalized, blasting a three-run homer off Ricard to push the Mountain Hawks ahead, 9-7. 

Nell re-entered the game to replace Ricard, but Lehigh catcher Sydney Parlett singled up the middle to bring in two more runs. 

Trailing 11-7, the Terriers began to chip away at the lead in the sixth. Doherty delivered a base hit — her third of the game — and Deppiesse followed another hit. Doherty then came around to score on an error. 

However, the Mountain Hawks recorded three quick outs to end the threat, leaving Deppiesse stranded at third.

Looking for insurance in the top of the seventh, Lehigh continued their offensive onslaught. Right fielder Kelly Fricker led off with a double for the Mountain Hawks, and Martin picked her up with an RBI triple two outs later.

The Terriers found themselves attempting to climb out of a five-run hole in their last chance to recover. Lyons hit a leadoff single to center field. Apalit followed, batting in BU’s ninth run with a single of her own up the middle.

Sophomore outfielder Sophie Naivar stepped into the box as a pinch hitter for BU and delivered a base hit, once again forcing Lehigh to make a change. Finnerty was replaced by sophomore pitcher Maddy Clark.

The Terriers loaded the bases with a Deppiesse walk. Coyle hit a single to the shortstop, scoring Apalit and cutting the deficit to three runs. 

BU’s final rally came to an end as Clark induced a game-ending lineout. The Mountain Hawks secured the 13-10 victory.

Waters expressed hope that the team can turn its performance around in the coming weeks.

“The one thing with softball is things can change in an instant,” she said. “We’re trying to keep our eyes forward and focus on the things that we need to work on.”

BU looks to bounce back with a game Wednesday against Bryant University set for 4 p.m.