The Boston University softball team hits the road again for a Thursday afternoon doubleheader against Providence College of the Big East, following the postponement of its home opener this past weekend.
Because of the postponement, the Terriers will not begin conference play until Saturday when they play Binghamton University.
“It was a welcome rest, but we’re chomping at the bit a little to get out there,” said BU coach Kathryn Gleason about her team, which has been forced to practice inside all spring.
The disruption has allowed BU (7-14) to get more practice time as it works to improve its struggling offense. Despite sporadic offensive success, opponents outscored the Terriers 94-66 during tournament play over the course of the past month.
“We’ve been working on all aspects of our offensive game,” Gleason said. “Those days off [from the postponement of the Albany game] gave us time to work on things individually.”
While the offense has struggled with consistency, the Terriers pitching staff, led by senior Whitney Tuthill, has been stout for BU. Tuthill especially has been a rock, leading the team with a 2.61 ERA and a 5-8 record that does not fully reflect her continued dominance on the mound.
Tuthill has stepped up as the Terriers’ number one pitcher, pitching 88.2 innings so far this season and picking up losses largely due to a lack of run support.
Fellow pitchers senior Erin Schuppert and freshman Lauren Hynes have struggled in the circle, combining for a 2-6 record.
“We’ve been really focusing on defensive things that we discovered about ourselves out on the field in Florida,” Gleason said.
But offense has not been all bad for the Terriers, as juniors Jayme Mask and Amy Ekart have both been strong offensive forces amongst the returning players. Ekart leads the team with 12 RBIs. Despite not playing in every game, freshman Haley King has proved invaluable in the designated hitter spot, batting .324 and providing constant offensive support for her team.
On Thursday, the Terriers will face Providence (9-16) in an afternoon doubleheader at Raymond Field in Providence, R.I. The Friars enter the matchup having lost their last three games against DePaul University in their first conference series of the season.
Despite the losing streak, the Providence offense is strong. In its weekend series, it recorded six homeruns, so stopping its run production will be important for the Terriers.
“As a team they’re hitting .304 and they have seven kids hitting over .300,” Gleason said.
After facing Providence on Thursday, BU will finally begin its conference play with a trip to Binghamton (9-9). The Terriers will seek to end the Bearcats’ three-game winning streak and gain their first conference victory of the season.
Binghamton is led by freshman first baseman Lisa Cadogan, whose strong offensive play has led to her being named America East Player of the Week for three straight weeks. Cadogan leads her team with a .375 batting average and 15 RBIs. Shutting down her offensive streak is key to a Terrier victory against Binghamton.
“It’s a game, and the game doesn’t know who has a better record or a higher batting average,” Gleason said.
Cadogan’s ten-game hitting streak is not the only thing that has been working for Binghamton, as it has won seven of its last nine games after starting off the season slowly. Three other players on the team have batting averages over .300 and the Bearcats have outscored their opponents 104-85.
All three of the team’s pitchers have contributed to the Bearcats’ success, with each picking up three of the team’s nine wins. Sophomore Demi Laney leads the team with a 3.30 ERA.
Despite Binghamton’s strengths, the Terriers are ready to get out on the field and begin conference play this coming weekend, Gleason said.
“This is what we’ve been talking about,” she said. “Despite not being able to participate in the conference tournament, we can have a goal in finishing out on top before we leave the America East.”
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