Every softball team hopes to have a pitching staff that consistently limits the opposition’s hitters and an offense that can produce runs at will. The Boston University softball team has been able to do both so far this season – smashing a school-record 31 home runs and getting solid pitching of late, propelling them to the conference’s best record (18-8, 2-1 America East).
On the other hand, Binghamton University, the Terriers’ opponent in a three-game series at the BU Softball Field this weekend, has been able to generate offense or get quality outings from its pitching rotation. The Bearcats, whose 4-14 record is the worst in America East, are only batting .229 as a team, which is sixth in the conference. Binghamton is also last in the conference in runs scored, hits and home runs. Binghamton is also last in the conference with a team ERA of 4.26.
Besides the statistical disparities between the two squads, the Terriers also have a career 14-3 record against the Bearcats working to their advantage, as they have never lost a series to the squad. However, BU coach Shawn Rychcik said he knows his team can’t take the Bearcats lightly and hopes the team has learned its lesson after a humbling loss to the University at Buffalo.
“I think, though, the team learned a lot from that game and other games and doesn’t want to let that happen again,” Rychcik said.
On Wednesday, the Terriers’ third doubleheader in the past two weeks was canceled due to bad weather, this time missing out on a matchup against the University of Connecticut. Rychcik believes the longer break between games will also help the Terriers avoid a letdown, after facing off against the defending America East champion University at Albany squad last weekend.
“The girls are excited right now to get out and play again,” Rychcik said. “They started to get a little stir crazy, and it almost has the feel of being Opening Day again.”
The cancelled games also gave Rychcik the chance to do something that he doesn’t get to very often: give the pitchers an extra day off during the week. Freshmen hurlers Megan Currier and Rachel Moeller, along with senior Brittany Detwiler, each took advantage of the increased R’R, and Rychcik believes the time off will be reflected in how the trio pitches this weekend.
“Their arms are looking real fresh and lively with the extra rest,” Rychcik said. “You can see some extra snap when the ball comes out of their hands, which normally doesn’t happen in mid-season.”
Currier, who leads the team with seven wins and a 2.00 ERA, will mostly likely get the call in the only game Friday. Detwiler has started to regain the confidence she showed earlier in the season and is slated to start the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader. Rychcik said the starter for the third game will depend on how things go in the first two games.
Shutting down Bearcats shortstop Emili Palmcrantz and catcher Mia Bieman will be key for BU’s pitchers. Palmcrantz leads the team with a .290 batting average, while Bieman has the team’s only two home runs and leads her squad with nine RBIs.
Sophomore Cyrilla Suker, a transfer from the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, is likely to carry the pitching load for Binghamton. Suker has notched three of her team’s four wins and leads the team with a solid earned run average of 2.97.
Rychcick said one of his biggest concerns this week is the weather. After this past week, he said he just wants to see some softball played this weekend.
“I hope it is dry and warm,” he said. “I really don’t want something weather-related to affect the outcome of the game.”