This time last year, the Boston University softball team was beginning its stretch of six consecutive shutout wins over America East opponents. The Terriers are hoping for déjà vu this weekend when Binghamton University comes to town, especially coming off a sloppy loss to the University of Massachusetts at Amherst on Monday.
“We’ve proven in the past that we are capable of getting on one of those rolls,” said BU coach Amy Hayes. “When we do, we’re hard to stop. It’s been tough on the team with not knowing when we’re playing or when we’re practicing, but they need to learn to not get upset when their schedule changes and just step it up.”
The Terriers (15-22, 3-0 America East) host the Bearcats (10-11-1, 3-2) for three games this weekend – two on Saturday and one more on Sunday.
BU’s last outing against the Minutewomen was one that Hayes and the rest of the Terriers would soon like to forget. Several errors and numerous runners left on base cost BU the game, 11-6.
“That was Monday,” Hayes said. “We’ve tried to put that one past us. The thing about that game was that the three errors weren’t bad in the scheme of things, but they just came at crucial times. [Ashlee] Freeman was tired and it’s just another obstacle we have to get over. We need to be more aggressive, especially in the circle.”
The Terriers were scheduled to play a doubleheader on Wednesday (and then on Thursday) against the University of Maine, but those games were postponed because of poor field conditions. It took BU four tries to get its home opener in, and the team is hoping that the second time is the charm to get to play its first series at home.
Instead of a doubleheader on Wednesday, Hayes said she kept the Terriers busy with an interesting assignment, and the team responded with one of its best practices of the season.
“After Monday’s game, I made them write an essay about what it means to put on a BU uniform,” she said. “I got some really great answers and it translated to practice. There was a different energy. Now, our biggest obstacle is to keep that energy going.”
The Bearcats come into Saturday’s action winners of their last game after splitting a doubleheader with the University of Maryland, Baltimore County on Thursday. UMBC lost three in a row against the Terriers last weekend, as BU did not allow a Retriever to cross home plate.
“Our conference is scrappy,” Hayes said. “[Binghamton pitcher Michelle] Weeks throws hard. We just have to stay patient, and we can’t let them stay in the game.”
The Bearcats are led by centerfielder Jessica Dima and second baseman Nicole Vitello, who have tallied identical statistics – 24 hits, three homers and 15 RBIs apiece. Katie Hansen (6-6) has been solid in the circle, shutting teams down with a 1.15 ERA.
The Terriers swept a four-game series against Binghamton last season behind sophomore Erin McDonald’s two wins in the circle. This year, the Terriers are relying on her bat to do the same amount of damage.
Last week’s America East Pitcher of the Week Ashlee Freeman will get the start in game one of the doubleheader, as well as the start on Sunday. Hayes said she has not decided who will start the second game of the twinbill.
“I can’t say right now,” Hayes said. “DeKenya [Williams] is very deserving. She’s thrown well in her last two games against [Princeton University] and [Boston College] and has really become a leader on the team. But we’re also waiting for the real Brittany [Detwiler] to step up. There was a reason she was invited to Junior Olympics. Her hand is healed now – I think she just needs to heal her mind.”
After Monday’s game, Hayes made a plea for her team to stop playing tentatively, especially in the circle. The team is without a solid No. 2 starter, and if that hole can be filled, Hayes said she thinks this year’s team can play like last season’s edition.
“We are capable of making those runs like we did last season,” Hayes said referring to last year’s 12-game winning streak. “The freshmen need to buy into that and step up their games.”
Hayes insisted the team is much better than it showed against UMass, and she said she expects a different team to come out this weekend.
“This team has so much talent,” she said. “We should be able to sweep this series if we play like we’re capable of. But we also have to get over the hump of playing well against America East teams and not against other conference teams.”
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