The Boston University softball team split four games over the weekend at the St. John’s Invitational.
After falling to Hofstra University and St. John’s University on Saturday, the Terriers (10-14) responded with two wins on Sunday over the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Binghamton University.
BU head coach Ashley Waters said she was happy with the team’s ability to turn around what was a rough start to the weekend.
“Saturday was tough, especially with the cold,” Waters said. “The girls knew they didn’t play well and came out Sunday like a whole new team. The bats came alive and they stuck together as a team.”
The Terriers fell behind 7-0 to Hofstra (14-7) in the second inning and the Pride never looked back, coming away as 7-2 victors.
Hofstra senior catcher and infielder Brittany Allocca had two hits and three RBIs and senior outfielder Brielle Pietrafesa had two hits as well. Both players also had two runs scored and went yard once apiece.
The Terriers’ lone RBI was from freshman pitcher and utility player Maya Kipfmiller.
The Pride would go on to sweep the rest of the games at the tournament, finishing 4-0 on the weekend.
Later that day, BU fell to St John’s (7-18) 4-3.
It was another slow start for the Terriers, as they allowed four runs in the first inning.
All of the Red Storm’s runs came via the long ball, as senior first baseman Krystal Puga hit a two-run shot in the second at bat for St. John’s.
BU scored its only three runs on a home run as well, courtesy of junior center Alex Heinen.
Freshman pitcher Ali Dubois appeared in all four games over the weekend, and pitched 5.1 scoreless relief innings and only surrendered two hits to the Red Storm.
The Torrington, Connecticut native started the following morning against the UMass (11-10). Dubois threw 4.1 innings and gave up four earned runs.
The Terriers fell behind for the third straight game, but quickly responded to the one-run first inning for the Minutemen.
BU scored twice in the top of the second and once in the top of the third to take a 3-1 lead.
However, UMass took the lead back in the bottom of the fifth courtesy of sophomore catcher and outfielder Madison Gimpl, her third hit of the game and second RBI of the game.
Heinen had a the exact same offensive output as Gimpl, and her third hit and second RBI gave the Terriers a 6-4 lead they would not relinquish.
Waters said she has been impressed with Heinen’s performance offensively and how she overcome a slow start.
“I feel Alex [Heinen] has been really comfortable at the plate,” Waters said. “She has been our offensive catalyst recently. She didn’t have the start she would have liked, but she hit a lot of great ball just directly at people.”
Just prior, senior infielder Brittany Younan, who also finished with three hits and two runs, doubled home the go-ahead run.
BU would add an insurance run in the seventh to take a 7-4 lead and freshman pitcher Cali Dolfi threw 2.2 innings out of the bullpen for the win.
The Terriers would save their best game of the weekend for last, defeating Binghamton (3-10) 10-2 and only needing five innings to do it.
Bearcats senior infielder Kate Richard and freshman infielder Makayla Alvarez hit back-to-back home runs in the second inning to open the scoring.
BU scored in each of the final four innings, which started with four in the bottom of the second, the beginning of 10 unanswered runs.
Every Terrier in the lineup registered at least one hit, with senior outfielder Emma Wong leading the way with three.
Junior catcher and infielder Alexa Ponce notched her first home run of the season in the win.
Waters said she saw a lot of good things over the past month of tournament play and feels like her team is ready to go for league play to begin.
“We’ve had some ups and downs, but a lot more positives than negatives,” Waters said. “When they play together, it’s a beautiful thing. They are very talented and I feel we are starting to put together some solid performances in preparation for the conference season.”
