The Boston University softball team picked up its sixth straight win when it defeated rival Boston College 6-4 Thursday afternoon. Coming off a doubleheader the day before, the Terriers fell behind earlier in the game before securing the win by scoring the final three runs of the contest.
Despite falling behind in the first inning of the game and allowing the Eagles (22-23) to load the bases with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, the Terriers (30-13) held on to earn a come-from-behind victory on Thursday afternoon as sophomore shortstop Brittany Clendenny continued to lead the team’s offense at the top of the order.
“It was kind of a scrappy win by us,” said BU coach Shawn Rychcik. “The girls played really good, we got down, kicked away at it and just kind of had to grind it out a little.”
After a quick 1-2-3 inning by the Eagle’s starting pitcher Morgan Kidd, the Terriers defense suffered and early setback when a wild pitch and a ground out advanced BC’s leadoff hitter Nicole D’Argento after sophomore pitcher Holli Floetker walked her to open the game. A base hit by designated hitter Chelsea LoBue sent D’Argento home and put the Eagles on the board early.
After a scoreless second inning, BU briefly took a 2-1 lead in the top of the third inning. Returning from an injury that sidelined her in the games against Providence, sophomore right fielder Jayme Mask scored on a two-run home run by Clendenny.
“It was an easy move to just leave Brittany there [batting leadoff],” Rychcik said. “She’s doing well, she’s swinging the bat well.”
BU would not hold the lead for long as BC scored three runs in the bottom of the inning. Junior pitcher Whitney Tuthill came in to pitch for the Terriers, giving up a home run to the first batter she faced. BC would score two more runs in the inning before Tuthill settled into her groove and held of the Eagles for the rest of the game.
“If it was quick innings [Floetker] might have got a third inning,” Rychcik said. “But she was battling out there so we just saw that two was enough for Holli and she got us just enough to get by.”
The Terriers tacked on another run to the board in the top of the fourth, bringing themselves within one of their opponents. Freshman outfielder Mandy Fernandez hit a solo shot for the Terriers, her fourth of the season.
After a scoreless fifth inning, the Terriers pulled ahead for good in the top of the sixth. After Fernandez reached base on a fielder’s choice, senior first baseman Melanie Delgado hit a two-run homer, brining the Terriers up 5-4.
“I always tell them to think our hitting’s like Novocain,” Rychcik said. “We just got to give it a little time and then it’ll work. It’ll work. Just trust it…Don’t panic, don’t press, just hang in there.”
Thanks to a home run by Clendenny the Terriers added an insurance run in the top of the seventh inning. This insurance would prove to be a relief for the Terriers after a close shave in the bottom of the seventh.
“[Clendenny’s] driving in runs and doing what she needs to do right now,” Rychcik said.
Tuthill managed two easy outs with a double play before things started to get messy in the bottom half of the inning. After allowing a single and a double by BC, she hit a BC player with a pitch, loading the bases. However, she forced the next batter to foul out to third base, earning the win for the Terriers.
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