They didn’t get as many chances as they had thought, but the Boston University softball team proved that the promise they showed in the preseason was not without merit. The season began for the Terriers Friday with two close losses to Eastern Michigan University and Austin Peay State University.
The first victory of the season came shortly after in a 6-2 defeat Saturday at the bats of George Mason University.
All the games were played at Mercer University in Macon, Ga. at the Mercer Comfort Inn Classic. BU was scheduled to play Morehead State University Saturday afternoon and Mercer Sunday but both games were rained out.
“We want to get all the games in that we can,” said BU coach Shawn Rychcik. “We know we are going to lose a few to weather up north so we don’t want that to happen down south. We didn’t get the same opportunity to start getting better.”
The game against Eastern Michigan was scoreless until the fourth inning, when the Eagles earned two runs off an RBI single and a wild pitch. BU gave up one more run in the fifth inning when Lauren Clark hit a home run off junior starter Brittany Detwiler.
Freshman catcher Christy Leath got the Terriers on the board in the sixth inning when she slammed a home run to centerfield. BU gained momentum and attempted a seventh-inning comeback when junior Brandi Shields hit an RBI single to pull within one, but the Terriers left a runner stranded on third to end the game, 3-2.
“They just happened to get one more run than we did,” Rychcik said. “I was happy with the effort.”
Despite winning the hits battle, 10-5, BU was unable to overcome the pitching of Jenny Lloyd. Leaving runners on base was the story of the game for the Terriers, as they left eight stranded and struck out 11 times.
The game against Austin Peay was another story of a comeback falling short. BU came out swinging to put themselves up by two, but lost its focus in the final two innings, allowing the Governors to score seven.
“We could have put Austin away with one or two more runs,” Rychcik said. “They were down and dead.”
The Terriers recovered to score three more runs in the seventh but it wasn’t enough to keep them from dropping to 0-2. Leath continued her strong offensive performance, going 3-for-4 with three RBI.
“The freshmen played great,” Rychcik said. “They soaked up everything around them and took time to evaluate the other team. They played with a lot of swagger and hunger.”
Looking for their first win and a pick-me-up after a tough Friday, the Terriers did not waste any time with George Mason, scoring early and winning, 6-2. The BU freshmen continued to live up to early promise, with rookie outfielder Shayne Lotito leading the way in the first inning, getting on base, stealing second and scoring a run.
“It’s a great thing to get a run in the first, you can do more when you’re ahead,” Rychcik said. “You can be more aggressive and take more risks.”
The big story of Saturday was freshman Cassidi Hardy’s near no-hitter, which she carried into the seventh before giving up a bloop single over second base. She finished with 12 strikeouts, three hits allowed, two earned runs and her first career victory.
“The coaches were aware, but it was one of those things where you don’t say a word about it,” Rychcik said. “A huge groan came out of the dugout when she gave up that hit.”
Senior first baseman Liz Alley extended her stronghold on BU’s all-time home run record, knocking in her 22nd and finishing 2-for-3 with two RBI.
Despite the team’s 1-2 record, many good things came out of the abbreviated weekend schedule, and the Terriers now have a better sense of their identity.
“We weren’t overwhelmed and we were up to the task,” Rychcik said. “We have some little things to work on. We will lengthen out our pitchers and work on their endurance.
“Our chemistry is awesome, the best in my four years here,” Rychcik added. “We all got to be on the same page. It’s great to see people pulling for each other on the bench.”
Next weekend the Terriers are on the road again for the Plant City Tournament in Plant City, Fla., where they will go up against, among others, a formidable Michigan State University team.
“It’s a tough weekend. You need some breaks to beat some of the bigger teams,” Rychcik said. “We need day-to-day consistency to keep ourselves in games in the sixth and seventh innings and get some big plays. We are going to grow a lot in a week.”