While it’s only the middle of March, the Boston University softball team has already competed in nearly 20 games, and that’s largely because of the 10 games it played over spring break in California.
The Terriers (8-11) saw action in the San Diego Classic, Mizuno Invitational and three non-tournament games, earning five wins and five losses in total. Results were up and down, and the various competitions mirrored that pattern.
The San Diego Classic took place from March 4 to March 6, with BU falling 10-3 and 9-1 to Grand Canyon University and No. 10 Texas A&M University, respectively, and cruising to an 11-4 victory over Utah Valley University. BU head coach Ashley Waters said that sometimes, it’s hard to travel to the West Coast and play right away, but added pitching woes were the biggest area of concern.
“We put a lot of people on base, and with hits-by-pitches and walks, we exceeded what we should have done,” the first-year coach said. “We were a little bit disappointed with that piece, and to play with the best teams in the country and to play with top offensive teams, you have to give them limited chances if possible. We can’t put them on base or give them extra outs, and I feel we didn’t do a good job with that.”
The middle of the week saw little improvement, as BU lost by a combined score of 11-6 to San Diego State University and Loyola Marymount University. However, come this past weekend’s Mizuno Invitational, fortunes changed completely, as BU won all four of its games.
Saturday saw the Terriers beat Southern Utah University 5-0 and the University of California, Riverside 4-1. More success followed suit Sunday, as the Terriers beat Southern Utah (3-23) 5-0 and Yale University 7-3. Waters remarked that her team fell behind on a couple occasions but fought back through a balanced approach.
“Runs are going to happen and people are going to score off us — that’s just what’s going to happen,” Waters said. “But with an offense that’s stepping up and grinding it out each game or inning, that’s what’s going to make us tick. There was a lot of grit one through nine in our batting order. They did their job, and we had some big-time hits and a lot of RBIs in different spots in the lineup. That’s a full team effort, and that’s a great thing.”
With a sizable chunk of their schedule played, the Terriers are afforded the luxury of assessing where they stand on the mound, both when at bat and in the field. Waters said the offense is starting to “form its identity” and has “the potential for power, but that’s not necessarily our game.”
The numbers certainly back that up. BU only has one home run on the year, the junior captain duo of Brittany Younan and Moriah Connoly are each batting above .345 and BU averages seven hits a game.
There’s also been a noticeable progression on the mound, as senior Lauren Hynes boasts a 2.20 earned runs average, opponents are batting .211 against senior Melanie Russell and junior Makinna Akers has been solid when called upon. BU’s defensive game is steadily improving too, as it has recorded 16 fewer errors than its opponents.
“Defensively, we had some brilliant plays,” Waters said. “Our outfield is starting to a great job leaving their feet and really trusting themselves to make plays. [They’re] just being heads up and knowing where we’re supposed to be going. The little things about the game we’re actually starting to own, and when you own the little things, the big things happen.”
After a busy slate in California, the Terriers will return home Wednesday to face Providence College and are just under two weeks away from Patriot League play. There are still areas that need improvement, but Waters said BU will be ready for games that bear an increased importance.
“The last weekend, they were really amped up and hyped up,” Waters said. “They’re playing really good softball right now, so I know they’re excited to get into conference play and be at home some. There’s always things to work on, so we’re going to continue to work and get better, but I feel good about where they’re at.”
Jonathan's a New Englander who writes about sports, features and politics. He currently covers men's hockey at BU, worked as Sports Editor during the spring 2016 semester and is on the FreeP's Board of Directors. Toss him a follow on Twitter at @jonathansigal.
