While Boston University softball coach Amy Hayes has stressed the importance of pitching and defense, she may need to re-word her team speeches to incorporate hitting.
In the Terriers’ split of a doubleheader with the University of Vermont Wednesday, BU was given numerous opportunities to put runs on the board. Catamount pitchers seemed generous, donating eight walks, while the defense behind them made five errors.
But BU was not able to capitalize on the gifts, as only five Terriers crossed home plate in the twinbill, while BU left 18 runners on base over the two games. The result? Before the scarlet and white could grab a 5-2 win in game two, the Catamounts shut out the home team in game one, 1-0, posting their first win over the Terriers in 23 games dating back to 1996.
“The bottom line is that we shouldn’t have to be taking advantage of other people’s errors,” Hayes said. “We should be taking care of business on our own.”
For a team that has had its own problems with pitching and defense, the Terrier offense has been the missing piece of the puzzle the past few days.
The top of the order has been able to get on base, as senior Abbey Pauley and junior Jamie Haas reached base five times combined, but the heart of the order, with the exception of junior DeKenya Williams, is struggling.
After sophomore Liz Alley broke the BU single-season home run record on Saturday, she has not earned a hit. Freshman Chiya Louie has not seen a good pitch to hit, but has prolonged innings by drawing walks.
Erin McDonald has struggled recently in prime-time at-bats, and Hayes did not play her in the second game of the doubleheader after the sophomore left seven runners on base in the first contest.
The bottom of the order went a combined 1-15 in the two games, drawing two walks. Freshman Brittany Detwiler had the only hit and missed another one on a great defensive play in center field by Heidi Gebo, who stretched to her left to snag the line drive.
“We just didn’t get the timely hits when we needed to,” Hayes said. “The only time we did was when I called for a hit and run and the runner got to third. We just struggled to get the prime-time hits when people were on. And when you do that, you won’t score.”
The Terrier pitching was phenomenal once again, as Detwiler and freshman Ashlee Freeman combined to allow just three runs on 10 hits over 14 innings of work. Detwiler has found her niche, now winning two of her last three starts. Freeman continues to excel, as she recorded her 22nd consecutive complete game.
“They both threw really well today,” Hayes said. “It was unfortunate that [Freeman] had to take a loss because she pitched a great game.”
BU’s defense was superb, as Haas made a great play ranging to her left on a ball hit up the middle and was still able to throw a strike to Alley to get the runner. Junior Christy King continued to provide a solid effort at third, taking away a large part of their offensive scheme by successfully defending against the bunt.
But the offensive futility has also been stunning. The Terriers have two of the leaders in home runs and RBIs in the America East in Louie and Alley, but were not been able to bring in a run from second with one out.
In fact, BU scored its first run of the doubleheader in the fourth inning of game two on a passed ball by Catamounts’ catcher Samantha Chase. Williams scored a second time the same way in the fifth inning.
The team’s pitching staff has come a long way from the start of the year and has not been rewarded with the output it has deserved. The Terriers seemed to have had everything clicking a few weeks ago against the University of Maryland, Baltimore County in 8-0, 9-0 and 4-0 wins.
But since that weekend, BU has scored just seven combined runs in its three wins.
While Hayes left the BU Softball Field distraught Wednesday, she said she still believes this team can put it all together and get the timely hits and strong pitching performances it needs to win ballgames.
“Sometimes you have years where it’s like flipping a coin,” Hayes said. “We’re hoping that we can put it together when the time is right, and hopefully it’ll start up this weekend against [Stony Brook University] and just continue.
“It could be a weekend that just proves to us who we are,” she added. “Hopefully we’ll take care of it.”