After taking an early lead, a detrimental fifth inning cost the Boston University softball team a 4-2 loss to Bryant University.
BU (8-15) started off hot in the bottom of the first inning, as sophomore catcher Alex Heinen hit a fly ball just over the head of Bryant (5-20) left fielder Lauren Keast, who took a hard fall and left the game due to injury. The ball went off her glove, scoring senior shortstop Moriah Connolly, who led the Terriers off with a double.
Heinen advanced to third base on the error and scored on the next at-bat when senior catcher Gabi Martinez singled to left.
Those were all the runs the Terriers would score.
“Timely hitting is always something that is going to come into play,” said BU head coach Ashley Waters. “I think initially we did a good job getting on base, I don’t think we did a good job of capitalizing.”
Connolly and the Terriers threatened again in the bottom of the second and fourth innings. In the second, Connolly reached on a fielder’s choice and advanced to second base while Bryant seemed to think the play was over. On the next pitch, Connolly swiped her 17th base of the year. She also stole her 18th later in the game.
BU looked to be knocking on the door again in the fourth when Connolly beat out a throw by Bryant infielder Nicole Zukowski.
Freshman pitcher Kali Magane unintentionally worked the entire seven innings. After Magane was relieved by senior Makinna Akers, Bryant rattled off three hits and three runs. Magane returned to the game after Bryant’s fourth run and ended the contest with consecutive 1-2-3 innings.
“Kali was having a hard time getting a grip based on the cold,” said Waters. “I thought the first inning looked good, but after that I don’t know if it’s the excuse of being cold or what, but we didn’t play good softball.”
Waters expected Akers to finish the contest and was disappointed that she was unable to.
“Makinna should be able to come into that situation, especially as a senior, a downball pitcher, someone that can throw a little bit harder than [Magane],” Waters said. “The expectation is for her to come in and shut that down. Makinna was leaving the ball up a little bit and they put together some good pieces.”
Bryant head coach Shayne Lotito, who graduated from BU in 2009, returned to the diamond she spent four seasons on as a member of the Terriers, and her Bulldogs got back on the winning side after losing three straight games.
In their first action since March 11, the Terriers finished with nine hits and limited Bryant to five hits; however, five walks plagued BU.
Waters also credited many fly balls to the offensive struggle.
“The wind was blowing in today, and [Bryant pitcher Brandi Burgin] was throwing the ball belt-high or above that and we were hitting fly balls,” Waters said. “At some point we needed to make an adjustment of putting the ball on the ground or putting the ball on the line so we actually had a chance to score.”
After Keast left the game for Bryant, replacement freshman Bianca Mastropietro hit a towering home run off Magane for Bryant’s first run.
Waters saw no excuse for the Terriers to struggle in the cold and drop their final matchup before Patriot League play begins.
“We’re from here,” Waters said. “This is the East Coast. If you come here, you’re planning to play in cold weather. For us, this is our first day on our field but we’ve been on other fields, there’s no excuse. We hit all week and we made the adjustments we needed to coming back from California. I just don’t think we came out necessarily ready to play.
