Softball: Terriers Cap Off Series Sweep Against Lafayette with a 5-0 Win
By Abigail Stocker
BOSTON – The Boston University Softball Team (36-17, 13-4 PL) continued its decade-long dominance over Lafayette College (7-31, 5-12 PL) with a 5-0 shutout Sunday.
This win extended the Terrier’s all-time series lead to a perfect 34-0 since their first meeting in 2014.
Junior pitcher Kasey Ricard, who has an 1.99 ERA, pitched six scoreless innings, striking out five and allowing just four hits and one walk. Freshman pitcher Danika Nell, boasting a 3.25 ERA, closed out the seventh with a clean frame to preserve the shutout.
On the other hand, Lafayette’s junior pitcher Samantha Alvarez-Backus, who has an 11.55 ERA, allowed six hits, walked two and struck out none before being relieved in the fifth inning. Freshman Parker Rowden, with a 9.48 ERA, allowed just one hit and a walk, keeping BU off the board for the rest of the game.
Both teams started quietly, with Ricard and Alvarez-Backus trading scoreless frames. Ricard struck out two in the opening inning to set the tone.
The Terriers took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third when sophomore outfielder Kylie Doherty launched a solo home run to right-center.
Both pitchers were relentless, pitching a scoreless fourth, with BU stranding a runner and Ricard continuing to keep the Leopards in check.
The Terriers broke through in the fifth with a four-run inning, sparked by Doherty, who singled in a run and advanced on a throwing error.
Junior infielder Brooke Deppiesse followed with an RBI single to center. Two more scored in the inning — one on a catcher’s obstruction at the plate and another on a throwing error by the center fielder.
Junior infielder Megan Coyle, who used to play for Lafayette, capped the inning with a hit to left center, scoring in Deppiesse and making the score 5-0.
Ricard closed out the sixth clean before turning it over to Nell, who retired all three batters in the seventh to secure the win for the Terriers.
BU finished with seven hits. The win capped a three-game sweep of the Leopards this weekend.
With the 2025 Patriot League Softball Championship approaching, the Terriers are looking to ride this momentum into the postseason.
The Terriers are second in the Patriot League rankings going into the weekend with a 14-4 conference record.
Last season, BU had a 53-6-1 record, including an unbeaten 18-0 conference record. The Terriers also earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament and won their fifth Patriot League championship in program history.
BU looks to continue their success as they head into the tournament this season, capitalizing on key players like Ricard and Deppiesse.
The Terriers will return to action next weekend as it begins its pursuit of another Patriot League title. The tournament begins May 8 in West Point, New York. Streaming will be available on ESPN+.