Pitching two straight shutouts isn’t easy. Freshman pitcher Erin McDonald just makes it look that way.
A day after combining with senior Tiffany Finateri to pitch a no-hit gem against Central Connecticut State University, McDonald hurled a complete game shutout to carry the Boston University softball team to a 3-0 win over visiting Providence College yesterday. The second game of the scheduled doubleheader with the Friars was rained out in the second inning.
‘She [McDonald] has really blossomed,’ said head coach Amy Hayes. ‘Once she gets comfortable out there on the mound and throws her game … and attacks, she wins.’
McDonald notched three strikeouts and four walks while only giving up two hits over seven scoreless innings.
The Terriers (9-15) jumped out to a quick start in the first inning with a triple from junior Abbey Pauley. After McDonald drew a walk, Pauley scored on a Providence wild pitch, giving BU an early 1-0 lead.
In the third inning, sophomore shortstop Jamie Haas led off with a bloop single to shallow left center, followed by a single from Pauley. Sophomore Julie Henneke brought Haas in with an RBI groundout, extending the Terrier lead to 2-0. McDonald, who also went 1-1 with 2 walks, drove in her lone RBI of the day with a single, scoring Pauley to put BU up by three.
The Illinois native cruised the rest of the way until the seventh inning, where she ran into some trouble after two straight walks put Providence runners into scoring position. After a talk with Hayes, McDonald put an end to any hopes of a Friar comeback, drawing a strikeout and a groundout to close the game.
BU has won six of its last seven games, including wins over Fairfield University, Dartmouth College and Harvard University. During this streak, the Terrier pitching staff has thrown four shutouts while only allowing a total of eight runs, a little more than one score per game. They have only allowed an average about four hits per game over the stretch as well.
‘[We] went out there and attacked,’ Hayes said. ‘As long as we attack and play on the offensive side of the game, and not a defensive game, we’re good. That’s when we win.’
The Terriers also flashed some leather in the field to help McDonald, compiling 12 assists, four of which coming from second baseman Kristen Knesek. Haas threw out three runners from the shortstop position.
Pauley chipped in with two hits and three runs to help the Terrier cause. However, BU wasted some chances to blow the game wide open, as they stranded seven runners on base while the Friars only left five on the base paths. Providence, which was retired in order in three out of the seven innings, dropped to 8-8 with the loss.
BU opens up the America East portion of its schedule this weekend with a doubleheader on Saturday and another on Sunday against the Seawolves of Stony Brook University. Each of the games will be played at the Boston University Softball Field on Ashford Street.