Horrick lifts BU in Brown victories

Making four errors is not normally the way to win a game.

Unless of course, your opponent makes seven errors, while also getting rocked by your hitters.

So went the second game of the Boston University softball team’s doubleheader against Brown University yesterday at Malvern Field. The Terriers beat the Bears, 7-3, with sophomore pitcher Tiffany Finateri going the distance in allowing only one earned run and scattering six hits. She was well supported by the offense, which exploded with 10 hits and took advantage of seven errors by the Bears. Compared to Brown’s horrid defensive play, the Terriers — despite making four errors — looked like nine Ozzie Smiths on the field.

BU improved its record to 12-11 (1-3 America East), while Brown fell to 2-18.

Sophomore hurler Robyn Horrick threw a complete game shutout in the first game, allowing only three hits while the Terriers won, 2-0, after smashing seven hits. Each team made it through the opening game without registering an error, a stark contrast to the nightcap.

Horrick’s strong performance was encouraging, especially after her struggles in recent outings. Her dominant performance evoked images of last year’s season that saw her named Rookie of the Year in America East.

“Robyn Horrick showed tenacity and mental strength today,” said BU coach Amy Hayes.

Indeed, after two poor performances over the weekend against Hofstra University, Horrick dispelled any concerns with yesterday’s game.

While they only scored two runs in the first game, the Terriers shelled Brown’s pitching.

“We had the hits,” Hayes said. “We just couldn’t get runners around the bases.”

In the nightcap, the Terriers were able to do both things. The offensive attack was led by senior second baseman Kerry Herr, who was 5-for-7 over the two games. In the second contest, she notched a triple, a double and a single, falling a home run short of hitting for the cycle.

Kerry Herr and her twin sister, senior Courtney Herr, brought a new meaning to a double steal in the fourth inning. Kerry took second while her sister was at the plate. Courtney proceeded with bag thievery when the next batter, sophomore Nicole Kurker, was at the plate.

Senior first baseman and pitcher Robyn King also had a good day at the plate, going 3-for-6 with two runs batted in and two runs scored.

So while Hayes said there’s always going to be one player slumping, it seems that the team-wide hitting slump is a thing of the past. Indeed, 17 hits and nine runs over 12 innings will encourage that confidence.

Now the Terriers just need to be concerned with their defense. After a nearly flawless performance in the first game, the Terriers came out flat, and committed three of the four errors in the first inning. Luckily, the Bears matched that with three of their own errors in the Terriers half of the inning. Hayes does not think that BU will be able to get away with a performance like that against the Terriers’ next opponent, America East rival University of Delaware.

“We can’t give [the University of] Delaware three errors in the first inning,” Hayes said.

While the opening frame was disastrous, BU tightened up its defense, and the only other error the Terriers committed over the next six innings was Finateri’s drop of a pop-up in front of the plate. That error was more a result of miscommunication between the players than a physical mistake by the pitcher.

Hayes was glad to see her team rebound from the rough weekend, but it wasn’t a surprise to her.

“That’s what this team can do,” the rookie coach said. “They always fight hard. They can always come back.”