They would not be denied.
Despite a grueling nine-inning pitchers’ duel and three errors, members of the Boston University softball team (24-11, 11-3 America East) triumphed over cross-town rival Boston College, 2-1, yesterday afternoon at Shea Field. The win is BU’s 14th consecutive victory.
Sophomore hurler Tiffany Finateri arguably tossed her finest performance of the season for the Terriers by keeping the Eagles off the scoreboard through six innings, scattering six hits while striking out six.
“Finney was awesome,” said BU coach Amy Hayes. “It was huge to have her come through in this game.”
BU bats struck first in the fourth inning when senior catcher Leslie Linnemeyer poked a single through the middle of the infield, scoring sophomore shortstop Kristin Knesek for the early 1-0 advantage.
The Terriers preserved the lead thanks to some great defensive plays in the field. Boston College shortstop Cara Blumfield looked to ruin Finateri’s shutout bid in the fifth when she launched a bullet to center field. But senior center fielder Kenya Palmer, starting her first game after an ankle sprain took her out for more than three weeks, robbed Blumfield of extra bases with a full-extension grab that would have made Ken Griffey Jr. proud. Palmer never lost her concentration as she bobbled the ball, making the catch in mid-air while laid out on the ground.
“It was quite emotional to have Kenya back,” Hayes said. “Her energy is what this team needs during every game.”
Finateri worked out of a bases loaded jam in the sixth inning, but after senior left fielder Courtney Herr’s two-base error led off the bottom half of the seventh, Hayes pulled Finateri to make way for sophomore Robyn Horrick to shut the door. But Boston College second baseman Jennifer Asbury would have none of that as she roped Horrick’s first pitch to centerfield, scoring Blumfield to tie the score at one and send the game to extra innings.
Horrick redeemed herself over the next two innings by shutting down the Boston College bats, allowing the Terriers a chance to win. That chance came in the top half of the ninth when senior second baseman Kerry Herr made up for her twin’s mistake, lining a double down the left field line to plate Palmer with the eventual game-winning run.
“You can always depend on Horrick,” Finateri said. “Whether she comes in the first or the seventh … she’ll shut them down.”
Even though the win was meaningless in terms of conference standings, the way the team pulled together for the victory epitomized the desire the Terriers have in returning to the America East conference championship.
“We never put our heads down [after Boston College tied the score],” Finateri said. “We were determined to pull this game out.”
“They refuse to lose,” Hayes said. “[This win] made more a believer out of me than any other win all year.”
BU will continue its path to the conference playoffs this weekend when it takes on conference rival Towson University in doubleheaders Saturday and Sunday.
“We know what we have to do,” Hayes said. “We don’t lose in our house.”
And neither does the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, which will sponsor a Strikeout for Cancer raffle at the BU Softball Field on Saturday. Donations will be taken at the gate before the beginning of the doubleheader. If you can’t make it on Saturday, don’t miss Senior Day on Sunday when the Terrier softball seniors play their last home game of the season.
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