The holiday weekend was not kind to the Boston University softball team as it dropped two out of three games to the College of the Holy Cross.
On Saturday, the two squads engaged in a doubleheader, with Holy Cross (3-8, 2-4 Patriot League) taking game one, 6-4, and BU (7-21, 1-4 Patriot League) taking game two, 9-1. The series wrapped up on Easter Sunday with the Terriers succumbing to an 8-4 defeat.
The primary problems for the Terriers over the weekend came from the pitching circle and in the field. Between the two losses, BU had four errors and allowed 14 runs (nine of which were earned).
“We just didn’t come out ready to go on the mound,” said BU coach Kathryn Gleason after Sunday’s loss. “We gave up runs early, and even though we chipped away, it just wasn’t enough in the end.”
In Saturday’s first game, BU staked itself to an early 2-1 lead over Holy Cross, but between the fourth and fifth innings, the Crusaders saw five runners cross the plate thanks in part to a costly error in each inning.
From there, the Terriers were unable to claw back, and Holy Cross’s starting pitcher Gennifer Durham went on to pick up the complete game victory, giving up eight hits and three earned runs over her seven innings of work.
The Crusaders came out strong in the second game of the twin bill, but their first inning score would be their only run of the game due to BU’s strong starting pitching.
It was now the Terriers’ turn for a complete game performance, as junior pitcher Melanie Russell tossed five innings, striking out six and walking three while surrendering just the lone run in the victory.
“That was great for her to get her first win of the season with a complete game after such a long layoff,” Gleason said. “She did a great job coming in and just shutting them down.”
On the offensive side, BU was relentless, scoring six runs in the second inning and three more in the third. The charge was led by the first through third spots of the lineup — consisting of sophomore centerfielder Moriah Connolly, freshman right fielder Emma Wong and sophomore shortstop Brittany Younan — who combined for five hits and five RBI in nine at bats.
“I’ve said it before. Speed puts the defense on its heels, and any time you can do that, you have an opportunity to score some runs,” Gleason said. “They all did a great job in the win just getting on base, so the rest of the lineup could work on getting them over and in.”
Game three of the series began with another offensive attack by the Crusaders, this time including a first-inning three-run home run off the bat of designated player Emily Jarvis.
The Terriers were not about to let one hit become the outcome of the entire game, as they got to work on the Holy Cross pitching staff. After scoring single runs in the first and second innings, BU tied the ballgame at four runs apiece on a huge two-out, two-run triple from senior second baseman Emily Felbaum.
An RBI single by freshman Taylor Moss gave the Crusaders a 5-4 lead in the fourth inning, which would remain the score until the seventh frame.
A crucial error in the final inning of the ballgame by the Terriers’ defense would give the Crusaders the lead, which would eventually swell to four runs, making it 8-4 in favor of Holy Cross.
“I think things are starting to come together, but we just have to have all three facets of the game, and we just haven’t had that yet,” Gleason said. “We did enough on offense this weekend, maybe could have scored a couple more runs, but defensively, we just didn’t pick up the balls we needed to, and we needed to keep the ball in the ballpark.”
