Softball: Terriers Split Doubleheader with Lehigh
By Jose Rodriguez
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – After a two-hour rain delay, the Boston University Softball Team (31-16, 11-3 PL) split a doubleheader against Lehigh University (24-22, 12-5 PL) Saturday.
Junior shortstop Brooke Deppiesse and junior first baseman Megan Coyle combined for four RBIs, leading the Terriers to a 5-3 victory in the first game.
Despite the delay, the Terriers came out strong, led by junior starting pitcher Kasey Ricard, who threw her 21st complete game of the season. Ricard pitched all seven innings, allowing three runs, six hits and three walks while striking out seven.
“Weather is part of the sport, so obviously we would have liked to probably get there a little bit later,” said BU Head Coach Ashley Waters. “But, it is what it is. I think for us, we were ready to play when that time came.”
Lehigh freshman starting pitcher Madison Finnerty took the loss in the first game, after pitching 4.1 innings and allowing four runs, one walk and five hits.
The early innings were a pitchers’ duel. Ricard retired the first seven batters she faced before issuing a walk to third baseman Holly Lovett.
The Mountain Hawks threatened in the third when right fielder Kelly Fricker singled, but Ricard struck out senior second baseman Julia Mrochko on three pitches to end the frame.
The Terriers broke through in the fourth. Coyle walked and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by freshman designated player Kieren McHugh.
Freshman left fielder Camryn Lyons singled up the middle, and after a double steal, senior right fielder Tyesha Williams lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to put BU up 1-0.
Lehigh loaded the bases in the bottom half, but Ricard worked out of the jam. After a mound visit from Waters, Ricard struck out catcher Sydney Parlett and forced Lovett into a fielder’s choice to escape unscathed.
“There were runners on because we made mistakes, and that wasn’t Kasey,” Waters said. “Kasey had executed pitches to get out of that inning, and I think she was trusting her stuff.”
The Terriers quickly put pressure on Lehigh in the fifth inning. Apalit reached on a throwing error by Sward, and Walsh singled to the third base side.
With two runners on and nobody out, Deppiesse lined the first pitch she saw up the middle to score Apalit from second.
Deppiesse advanced to second on the throw home, while Walsh moved up to third. On a full count, Coyle came through with a two-run single to center, stretching BU’s lead to 4-0.
“The more runs we can get, the more comfort we have,” Waters said. “Megan stepped up in a big way there.”
However, the Mountain Hawks began to chip away at BU’s lead in the bottom of the sixth. Center fielder Helen Woloshyn singled up the middle, and with one out, second baseman Julia Mrochko reached on a throwing error by Apalit. The miscue allowed both runners to advance into scoring positions, putting Ricard in a tough spot with one out.
Lehigh made the most of the opportunity. First baseman Rory Dudley brought home their first run with a fielder’s choice on a 3-2 count. Catcher Wrigley Fanter, who stayed in the game after entering earlier as a pinch runner, followed by ripping a two-run double into the left-center gap, slicing BU’s lead to just one.
After left fielder Lindsey Martin walked to put two runners on, Ricard regrouped and retired the next two hitters to end the threat.
The Terriers looked to add insurance runs in the seventh. With one out, sophomore outfielder Kylie Doherty drove a 2-0 pitch over the head of Martin and advanced to third on a wild pitch.
Deppiesse, on a 2-2 count, flew out to Woloshyn for a sacrifice fly, extending the Terriers’ lead to two runs.
In the nightcap, the Mountain Hawks staged a late rally, as Parlett’s two-run homer in the sixth inning lifted Lehigh to a 3-2 win over BU.
Pitcher Chloe Hess anchored the victory for Lehigh, tossing a complete game to earn her eighth win of the season. She scattered nine hits, walked one, allowed two earned runs and struck out three.
On the other side, Ricard was tagged with the loss for BU, falling to 21-10. She pitched 1.2 innings in relief, giving up three hits, two earned runs and recording three strikeouts.
Lehigh threatened early in the first inning, putting two runners on base with one out. However, BU freshman pitcher Danika Nell worked out of trouble, as Hess retired both Kieren McHugh and Tyesha Williams to keep the game scoreless.
The Mountain Hawks again opened strong in the second, with Martin singling up the middle and Sward following with a bunt single to put two runners aboard.
This time, Neill settled in, as she retired the next three batters in order and froze Woloshyn on a called third strike to end the inning.
From there, both pitchers took control. Neill and Hess traded zeros through the first four frames, turning the game into a pitching duel. Each side managed just five hits during that stretch, with Martin standing out as the only player to collect multiple hits.
“Danika came out and threw great,” Waters said. “Danika got in a little bit of trouble late and seemed uncomfortable, so we went with Kasey. Kasey, I think, executed for a few hitters but just wasn’t able to finish the job.”
The Mountain Hawks finally broke through in the bottom of the fifth when Fricker launched her first collegiate home run on a 2-0 pitch, slicing BU’s lead in half.
Lehigh kept the momentum rolling in the sixth. After a one-out single by Sward, Parlett delivered the biggest swing of the day, crushing a two-run homer to give the Mountain Hawks a 3-2 lead — a lead they would not relinquish.
Offensively, BU was led by Deppiesse, who recorded a multi-hit game. Seven different Terriers notched hits in the loss.
For Lehigh, Dudley, Martin and Sward each turned in multi-hit performances, while Fricker, Julia Mrochko and Parlett added key contributions at the plate.
The Terriers will look to regroup and win the series on Sunday, with the match scheduled for noon.