Rolling at eight in a row and showing no signs of stopping, the Boston University softball team swept through two games with Sacred Heart University Wednesday afternoon, winning 7-2 and 3-0 behind strong pitching performances from Cassidi Hardy and Brittany Detwiler.
For the first time this season, BU is at .500, with the two wins putting them at 13-13. With Boston College coming to BU today, the Terriers needed to see some consistency and build momentum.
“We are getting confidence in what we do,” said BU coach Shawn Rychcik. “We have a good sequence now and we feel pretty good.”
Offensively, the Terriers had production throughout the lineup in the first game, smacking 12 hits overall and getting multiple hit performances out of Tyler Benson, Christy Leath, Brandi Shields and Josey Mendez. The only player without a hit was leadoff batter Shayne Lotito, who had an off day, considering her usual offensive consistency and batting average of .357 entering the game.
“She’ll be fine,” Rychcik said. “This is a mental game that you battle with. Tomorrow she might come out and get three hits.”
BU scored early and often, earning at least one run in each of the first four innings. Benson singled and stole second in the first, scoring off a Leath single. In the second, Melissa Dubay started off a three-run frame by singling and advancing to second on a disputed call which was overturned after Rychcik spoke with the umpires.
With Dubay on second and Gallagher on first, freshman Brooke Hudson loaded the bases with a perfectly placed bunt. Benson singled to bring home Dubay, and with the bases still loaded a batter later, Leath (4-for-7 on the day) singled to score two more.
Mendez led off the third with a deep double to center field and scored two batters later off a fielder’s choice RBI from Dubay.
BU’s final run came in the fourth when Benson slammed a triple, her first of the season, and scored off a Shields single. From there, they cruised to a win, one marked by balanced production throughout the order.
“Our philosophy is to work the pitchers and get the counts,” Rychcik said. “The bottom of the order is wearing pitchers down and we are getting a lot of productive outs. We are hitting rockets left and right in the infield.”
Detwiler was in control of Sacred Heart throughout the first game, despite giving up a run in the third and an uncharacteristic home run. With the win, she improved her record to 8-6. This was her third straight complete game win, one that she attributes to her teammates.
“Our whole team is coming together,” Detwiler said. “It’s easy to pitch when you have run support. We are all picking each other up on defense.”
While getting the win and continuing her complete game streak, Rychcik said that Detwiler was still not at the top of her game.
“She was not as sharp as she wanted to be,” Rychcik said. “If you don’t have your best stuff and you are still winning, that’s a step she has made.”
The 3-0 score of the second match is not a true representation of the nature of the game, as the Terriers were rarely challenged. Hardy had some of her best stuff going, allowing only three hits and dominating Sacred Heart en route to her third straight complete game shutout. At one point, she retired 14 straight batters, thanks in part to some stellar Terrier defense, including diving plays from both Hudson and Lotito.
“Brooke has been impressive at third,” Rychcik said. “We want our pitchers thinking, ‘If I make a pitch to a location, my defense will make a play.'”
While the defense was strong behind her — committing only one error – the three runs the offense produced in the third inning were enough to take to the bank.
And there’s no better time to have your team playing balanced softball on an eight-game winning streak than the day BC comes to town. BC is 1-5 in ACC play, 11-12 overall and swept Sacred Heart just two days ago. The Eagles are led by Jenna Macchi, who is batting .488 in 80 at-bats with a .725 slugging percentage this season. Last year, the Terriers lost to the Eagles, 10-1.
“Last year when we played BC at home we were struggling,” Rychcik said. “It’s a good time for us to face them. They are a good team, there is no disguising it.”
Detwiler will get the call against the Eagles, hoping to continue her streak. If Detwiler is sharp and the defense plays like it did Wednesday, there is no reason this BU squad cannot defend its home field.
“We can feed off our defense. It’s our pitching and defense that will keep us in games,” Rychcik said. “I’m really satisfied with our team right now.”