The Boston University softball team (5-16) will return to the BU Softball Field today for the first time this season when it hosts the University of Connecticut.
The Terriers were undefeated at home last year and are out to duplicate that feat again this year. The team’s offense finally picked up last Thursday with two wins against the University of Rhode Island, and the Terriers come into their home opener more focused than they were to start off the season.
The team was scheduled to play a doubleheader against Brown University on Sunday, but the games were canceled. In an unfortunate misunderstanding, the team didn’t even realize this until they arrived at the field.
“We traveled all the way to Brown,” said head coach Amy Hayes. “There was some miscommunication. It was really frustrating.”
When the team arrived back in Boston, however, Hayes held a team scrimmage, and she liked what she saw.
“We looked sharp in scrimmage,” Hayes said. “They seemed more competitive out there than playing other teams.”
The Terriers will need to stay sharp against a Connecticut team that knocked them off last year, 4-1.
“UConn is usually good competition,” Hayes said. “But they’re not feeling too up right now either. The team with the most determination will win the game.”
BU will play just one game today against the Huskies, so Hayes plans to split the innings between two pitchers, juniors Robyn Horrick and Tiffany Finateri.
Horrick has had a solid start to the season and leads the team in ERA (1.04), strikeouts (46) and innings pitched (54). Her record is 2-3, but she has surrendered only four earned runs in her three losses.
In her last outing, Finateri held Rhode Island to one run and two hits in five innings of work. She has also produced some offense for the Terriers, placing second on the team in RBIs with four.
Hayes said the team goes into a single game with the same mindset they would for a doubleheader.
“We prepare just the same,” she said. “But we have to keep in mind we have just one day’s rest for Vermont.”
That game against Vermont will be the team’s first conference game of the year, and could also mark the return of senior slugger Aryn Rangel. Hayes said she will probably give Rangel one at-bat today but will not force her out onto what could be less-than-stellar field conditions.
“If two days’ rest will make her stronger, then we’ll wait and Vermont will be her full go,” Hayes said.
Even if the weather factor does come into play today, Hayes is not concerned about it.
“We have a good guy that works on our field,” she said. “The outfield may be soppy, but if it’s bad for us, it’s bad for them.”