Boston University softball coach Shawn Rychcik was searching for answers on Thursday afternoon after his team lost its third straight game, 7-3, to the University of Rhode Island. Despite leading America East in almost every offensive category, the Terriers had gathered only four runs over the three games.
This weekend, the BU bats assuaged some of Rychcik’s concerns as clutch-hitting and some good fortune helped the Terriers to a three-game sweep of Binghamton University.
During their three-game slump, the Terriers batted just .141 as a team. Over the weekend, the Terriers almost doubled that, hitting .273 in three games.
More importantly, BU was able to get some timely hitting. On Saturday, the Terriers scored a combined 10 runs in the fifth inning or later during their doubleheader. Sophomore shortstop Emily Roesch was the star, as she blasted a walk-off grand slam over the scoreboard in the first game of the double-header.
Rychcik predicted the shot.
“I knew she was going to get something good, and I knew if I could get her in the right state of mind, she’d hit it,” Rychcik said. “I really had a good feeling that time, especially after eight straight pitches, you’re going to get one right here and just hammer it.”
The grand slam drove in sophomore second baseman Erica Casacci and junior centerfielder April Setterlund, who had both been intentionally walked, in addition to senior infielder Rachel Hebert. Casacci had gone 2-for-2 in the game with two runs and two walks, and Setterlund had gone 0-for-2 in the game with two runs and two walks. Roesch, who was batting behind Setterlund, had been held hitless in the game prior to the home run.
“I would have definitely pitched around April,” Rychcik said. “You can look and see that Emily doesn’t have the at-bats that everyone else has, though she’s got enough now, but she probably said, “I think we”ve got a better chance of getting Emily out than Casacci or April,’ and that’s what she went to. I might have pitched to Casacci &- I would not have pitched to April in that situation.”
Setterlund, who was hitless during the three-game losing streak, went 3-for-10 this weekend with two walks and five runs scored. She continued her record-breaking season, as she gained sole possession of the single-season program records for both runs (50) and doubles (16).
While the Terriers also won in walk-off fashion on Sunday, that win was more of a fluke. With two outs and runners on the corners, Setterlund came up to bat and knocked the ball toward Binghamton University shortstop Shannon McLeese.
McLeese should have been able to throw Setterlund out at first, but the throw sailed over first baseman Stephanie DeLuca’s head. Junior Christina Valdes trotted home on the error for the game-winning run.
“Last year, someone else made a walk-off walk and it was like “Oh, we won,'” Rychcik said. “Everyone wants to do it in dramatic fashion. But I know Maine lost yesterday so we are in sole possession of first place no matter what happens.”
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