After 31 days and 22 games in the warmth of Florida and Texas, the Boston University softball team will finally begin Patriot League play against Lehigh University Saturday.
The change in venue has already added some twists and turns for both teams, as the series has been moved nearly 50 miles south of its original location of Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
Nevertheless, the Terriers (6-16) will begin conference play against the Mountain Hawks (15-3) with a doubleheader on Saturday. The series finale, originally planned for Sunday, has been postponed.
“I think the experience we’ve had over the past four weeks, being on the road has prepared us for conference play,” said BU coach Kathryn Gleason. “It’s a different part of the season. You go through spring break and the preseason, and now it’s time to press the reset button and get ready for conference.”
BU certainly had its fair share of tough matchups in the beginning of the season, playing top-25 teams in five of its first 10 games. Facing Lehigh will prove to be a challenge as well.
The Mountain Hawks are led in the pitching circle by senior Emily Bausher and sophomore Christine Campbell, who have combined for 13 of Lehigh’s 15 wins.
Also, of all pitchers in the Patriot League who have tossed at least 30 innings thus far, the two hurlers rank one and two respectively in earned run average and batting average against.
“With the preseason we’ve had, I don’t think we’re going to see anything we’re not used to,” Gleason said. “We’ve seen Bausher before, an All-Patriot League pitcher, but when it comes down to it, we just have to play our game no matter what opponent and pitcher is out there.”
If the Terriers continue playing their game the way they have lately, they will certainly keep up with Lehigh’s pitching staff.
After losing its first 13 games of the season, BU has now won six of its last nine games, and a big part of that is due to increased run production.
In those first 13 games, the Terriers were averaging just over two-and-a-half runs per game, but during the recent hot streak, they have been averaging over five-and-a-half runs per contest.
“I think the biggest thing that contributed to our recent success is just playing together,” Gleason said. “When you’re on the road for as long as we were, the players get to learn a lot about each other and their offensive tendencies … We’re pretty close to having a set lineup. There are still some things that need to be figured out based on where different people feel more comfortable in a certain role, but we’re getting close.”
One player who seems to be comfortable with her role is sophomore infielder and reigning Patriot League Rookie of the Year Brittany Younan.
The leadoff hitter batted .619, scoring nine runs and swiping eight bags in the Terriers’ last seven games, earning her Patriot League Player of the Week honors.
After over a month of being on the road, Gleason said the Terriers are excited to soon return to the friendly confines of Boston.
“The girls are definitely excited to be close to coming home,” Gleason said. “It’s always nice to play at home, sleep in your own bed, be in your own dugout and batting cages, especially after such a long road trip. We’ll play in Pennsylvania this weekend and then head home, and I know that they’ll be excited to be here.”
