The Boston University softball team opened its 2015 campaign with a trip to Arizona to compete in the Littlewood Classic.
Simply looking at the scoreboard would indicate that the Terriers (0-5) struggled in their five tournament games, but a closer look at the box scores, particularly on the offensive end, reveals a solid start to the season for the Patriot League preseason favorite.
“We did a lot of good things. We improved every game, not only on the field but off the field,” said BU coach Kathryn Gleason. “I thought we started to find our identity, and that’s what it’s all about. We want to play the best teams and get out there and see where we are and where we need to improve. We came back with a long list of things we need to work on, but we knew going out there that that was going to be the case.”
The tournament provided BU with an opportunity to bond on a road trip early in the season, and it gave the Terriers a chance to see how they stack up against some of the top teams in the nation.
“We’ve known from last fall to the spring, being inside and preparing, we’ve talked about just acting as if it’s Feb. 13 at every practice, and that’s how we’re going to gauge each practice,” Gleason said. “I knew it was going to be a tough schedule, and I told them that. I’m going to prepare them and battle test them until we’re ready for the Patriot League conference down the road. In the end, it matters more where we are in May then where we are right now.”
Friday the 13th proved very unlucky for the Terriers, who lost both ends of a double header to No. 3 University of Oklahoma and No. 15 University of Washington. BU got out to a quick start against the Sooners (9-1), scoring a run in the top of the first inning before surrendering five runs in the home half. Washington (10-2) exploded for four runs in their first inning, the fourth proving to be the game-winning run. Both Friday games ended in five innings due to the run rule.
The next day continued in similar fashion for BU, with a 14-4 five-inning loss to the University of North Texas and a 9-4 defeat at the hands of No. 21 Arizona State University.
BU made a bid for its first win on Sunday against Illinois State University, taking leads in the first, third and eighth innings before falling 6-5 in the first extra frame.
The Terriers pitching struggled over the weekend, posting a team-earned run average of 9.48 and allowing opponents to hit .389 against them. The defense also struggled in the tournament, recording just a .911 fielding percentage and allowing 17 unearned runs.
Despite the defensive struggles, the Terriers showed enormous potential at the plate, showcasing a versatile offense with different types of bats. Junior pitcher Lauren Hynes hit .455 over the weekend with five singles and a .538 on base percentage. Sophomore catcher Gabi Martinez batted in six runs, while senior utility player Emily Felbaum hit three home runs and slugged at a 1.077 mark.
“It is a versatile lineup,” Gleason said. “It’s a combination of speed and power, and that’s something that’s really emerged since the fall. I’m not sure we had that in the fall, but they’ve worked hard offensively to give us a different dimension.”
Felbaum’s three home runs over the weekend doubled her career total, and her offensive presence was key for the Terriers to put runs on the board against some of the nation’s top teams.
“We talk about confidence all the time, and confidence is a choice, and she definitely stepped into the batters’ box with confidence and wanted to help her team in any way, and she did that,” Gleason said. “She consistently put the ball in play throughout the weekend. I’m just really proud of her, and I’m looking for her and the rest of our leadership to lead the way.”
Gleason shuffled her lineup in each game, and while she saw improvement as the weekend went on, she said the team is still looking to find their niche.
“We have different lineup combinations each game, and so we’re just trying to find our identity, who we are, and putting people in the best position to succeed,” Gleason said. “I think we’ll continue to do that through Spring Break, and even then, you never want to settle on one thing because somebody could get hot or somebody could be struggling. We’ll put them in positions to succeed.”
Jarett is a freshman in COM and majoring in journalism. He covers BU Women's Hockey and Softball for the Daily Free Press. He also plays golf and broadcasts sports on WTBU radio at BU. Twitter: @jarettleonard02
