The Boston University softball team will get a taste of the America East Championship today, when it travels to Orono, Maine for a doubleheader against the University of Maine.
Maine will host the 2004 conference championship in a place where the Terriers are looking to return in order to reclaim their title.
The Terriers (19-27, 7-4 America East) have had their troubles this season, as an injury-plagued off-season left a lot of holes to be filled. BU coach Amy Hayes has shuffled the lineup multiple times before finding what she believes is her most powerful starting nine.
Hayes has covered those holes, as the team seems to be getting back on track. Despite losing two of three at Stony Brook University last weekend, Hayes saw three great pitching performances from freshmen Ashlee Freeman and Brittany Detwiler, as well as superb defense behind them with sophomore Josey Mendez, junior Jamie Haas and senior Abbey Pauley clogging up the middle.
Offensively, the Terriers are still in a bit of a rut, but Hayes is more concerned with consistent pitching performances so BU can get out of its offensive stupor, while still winning games.
The Terriers have gained some momentum, and as the regular season winds down, this is the most opportune time to for every Terrier to find her niche.
“We’re hoping this is the day that everything comes together,” Hayes said. “One game we’ll have great pitching, one game we’ll have great hitting and another day we’ll have great defense. It’s getting down to the time where we need it to come together and that’s what we’re hoping for [today].”
On the other side, the Black Bears (18-18, 6-6) have lost four in a row coming into today’s doubleheader and have fallen to fifth place in the America East.
“They’re a pretty good team,” Hayes said. “They’re fighting for a playoff spot just like we are. It is really important for us to come away with two wins [today].”
Despite having speed at the top of the order with Jessica Brady (nine stolen bases on 12 attempts) and power in the middle with Brittany Chency (.331 with 5 homers and 18 RBIs), Maine’s inconsistency has kept them at the .500 mark.
“We just have to stay patient and positive,” Hayes said. “I told them not to panic. We’re all in the same book now – we just have to find the same page.”
Candace Jaegge (8-5, 2.93 ERA) will most likely get the start against Freeman, while Sarah Bennis (5-8, 1.67 ERA) will face off against Detwiler in the nightcap.
BU defeated Jaegge and the Black Bears 8-3 in March at the University of South Florida Tournament. Freshman Chiya Louie and Williams sparked the Terrier offense, each driving in a pair of runs, while Detwiler earned the win after clocking in for 5.1 innings.
Maine has not defeated the Terriers since April 24, 2002 – a span of six games – and BU has taken 10 out of the last 12 contests between the two teams dating all the way back to 2000.
That winning streak could be helped by the return of sophomore outfielder Emily Varga, who was cleared to bat today after tearing the MCL in her elbow March 30.
Hayes said she sees every game the rest of the way as critical with the end of the season nearing – especially the team’s matchup with the league’s top squad, the University at Albany (27-15, 12-1 America East) for a three game series at Albany the last weekend of the year.
“We can’t be naïve and say [this doubleheader] is not important,” Hayes said. “I think we need to win out the rest of our games, and I think it’s very possible. We just need to go one game at a time and one inning at a time.”