One weekend removed from the severe beating the Boston University softball team received from Hofstra University, the University of Delaware comes to town to play doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday at Malvern Field.
The series is BU’s second America East conference match-up of the season. The Terriers go into the game with a 12-11 record (1-3 America East), while the Blue Hens stand 11-9 (4-3 America East).
BU will look for two trends from this week’s doubleheader against Brown University to continue, and one to be reversed. The Terriers will look to continue their torrid hitting against a solid Blue Hen staff that has only given up 2.56 earned runs per game.
The Terriers will also look to their pitching staff to continue their great mound work. Sophomores Robyn Horrick and Tiffany Finateri both registered complete game wins on Wednesday — Horrick hurled a shutout, while Finateri gave up only one earned run.
BU will need to show major improvement in the field after committing four errors in the second game against Brown, including three in the first inning. BU got away with the sloppy play against Brown, but it is doubtful the Terriers could do the same against Delaware.
“We need to have a good performance against Delaware,” King said. “We can’t come out in the first inning and play like we did against Brown.”
They can come out in the first inning and hit like they did against Brown, however. The Terriers scored three runs in the inning and established a pattern they capitalized on throughout the game.
The Terrier offensive attack was led by senior second baseman Kerry Herr, who went 5-7 in the two games, scoring three runs as well.
“I hope everybody keeps hitting the way they were against Brown,” said King, who went 3-for-6 with two RBIs in the two games. “Certain people played like they did last year.”
King believes the Terriers have played to the level of their opponents this year, citing the win against Stanford University and the beginning of the nightcap against Brown as times when BU defeated a higher ranked team and struggled against a lower ranked team.
“Mentally, we don’t always stay in the game,” King said. “I think it’s different with conference games. People will be mentally in it.”
After the Hofstra debacle, the Terriers will need to be mentally tough and aware, especially if they hope to improve their conference standing.
If the Terriers can continue to play like they have since last weekend, they may be able to realize the goals they stated in the preseason, among them an undefeated run at Malvern and a return to the conference championship.
And last week may just have been the spark for such a run.
“Hofstra was a kick in the butt,” King said of what may actually end up being the best thing that could have happened to BU.
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