All good things — even winning streaks — must come to an end.
The Boston University softball team lost to Harvard University, 5-4, yesterday at the Harvard Softball Field in Cambridge, breaking the Terriers’ program record 18-game winning streak.
Sophomore Robyn Horrick was the losing pitcher for BU, allowing two runs in the seventh-inning and dropping Horrick’s record to 13-6.
The Crimson reeled off three straight hits — two singles and a double — to get the tying run across the plate in the seventh. Harvard outfielder Sarah Koppel grounded out to sophomore shortstop Kristin Knesek, but the Terriers’ luck would run out with the next batter. Second baseman Sarah Williamson doubled to the wall, knocking in the winning run and ending the BU winning streak.
Horrick took over for fellow sophomore hurler Tiffany Finateri in the sixth inning and got the Terriers out of a jam, turning a great double play to end the inning. Horrick stabbed a sharply hit line drive and doubled off the Crimson runner on third. Unfortunately, her luck would be short-lived.
Finateri gave up three runs on seven hits over four innings. Only one of the runs — all of which came in the first inning — were earned. The other two runs came with two outs when Knesek had a fly ball pop out of her glove.
BU did show some pop on offense, but overall it was a rough day at the plate for the team, as it only managed four hits. One hit was a three-run home run from Finateri, her sixth dinger of the season. Another was a solo shot from senior second baseman Kerry Herr, her second of the year. Other than that, the rest of BU’s offense came in the form of two singles from sophomore designated player Nichole Kurker, who continued her hot streak at the plate.
It was the little things that got to the Terriers yesterday. Senior catcher Leslie Linnemeyer, one of the team’s steadiest players, left BU coach Amy Hayes in disbelief after going for a bunt with two strikes and fouling off a pitch to strike out in the fifth inning.
It was exactly the things that helped the Terriers achieve the record streak that let them down yesterday. The team had been successful doing the little things, from sacrifice bunts to showing awareness in the field.
The pitching was the obvious catalyst during the winning streak. Horrick, Finateri and senior Robyn King were all dominant during the 18 consecutive victories, but yesterday, while Finateri and Horrick battled, they both seemed vulnerable.
The offense was meager at best, and BU showed an unusual dependence on the long ball that may be hard for the Terriers to continue.
Despite the disappointing loss, BU’s overall record now stands at 28-12. The Terriers sit atop of America East at 15-3, and would go into the conference tournament as the No. 1 seed as Hofstra University split their series with the University of Delaware this past weekend.
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