The Boston University softball team suffered a hard-fought, extra-inning 5-4 loss Wednesday afternoon at the hands of crosstown rival Boston College.
Though the Terriers (11-16, 0-3 Patriot League) fell, there were many good moments and building blocks that arose. For one, the Terriers fought throughout all eight innings. The Eagles (19-13) scored the first three runs of the game, but BU stayed focused throughout and mounted a serious comeback that came just a bit short.
“They are consistent,” said BU head coach Ashley Waters regarding her team’s fight. “They have will, they have grit.”
Senior pitcher Melanie Russell got the nod from Waters to face a formidable Eagles lineup. She came away with a no-decision and was relieved by senior pitcher Lauren Hynes, but Water was pleased with her performance nonetheless.
“Today was a step in the right direction,” Waters said. “I think for Mel, it’s a matter of commanding the zone. She’s been leaving the ball high and they capitalized on a few of them, but today was a much better take for her.”
What kept the Terriers in the game after a rough first three innings was junior shortstop Brittany Younan’s base hit with the bases loaded in the fourth inning. After working a 3-1 count, she drove a hitter’s pitch straight up the middle. Sophomore right fielder Emma Wong followed Younan with a single of her own that drove in freshman second baseman Emily Morrow, bringing the score to 3-2 at the end of the fourth inning.
After Boston College added a run in the top of the fifth, junior first baseman Gabi Martinez, who finished 3-for-4 with two runs batted in and a run scored, belted a home run to centerfield to even the score at four apiece. Martinez, who has previously struggled at the plate some in 2016, will look to build off her performance against the Eagles.
“Gabi works incredibly hard,” Water said. “It’s 90 percent between the ears. It’s one of those times when she’s starting to come on and get a little bit of mental toughness, which is translating into some hits.”
In the eighth and last inning, the Eagles knocked in a run, bringing the score to 5-4. The Terriers advanced a runner to second base in the bottom of the inning, but two straight strikeouts from BC pitcher Allyson Frei brought an end to the game.
Frei, who now has 105 strikeouts on the year, retired nine in relief of sophomore Jessica Dreswick. Despite going up against two strong right-handed pitchers, the Terriers managed 10 hits and were walked twice.
The Terriers left 11 players on base, and in the bottom of the second inning couldn’t plate a run with the bases loaded and no outs. Those missed opportunities left Waters frustrated somewhat over what could have been.
“I think there’s a lot of positives to take away from every game, but being close isn’t good enough, even though Boston College is a very good ACC team,” Waters said. “For us, it is a matter of we’re getting close, but we aren’t executing when it really matters. We need to cut down the strikeouts a bit, and that’s going to help us.”
While the Terriers lost a heartbreaker, it was to a good team and against strong pitching. They showed resiliency, but it was just not enough in the end, Water said.
“We may not do things right all the time, we may not do things pretty, but there is a lot of heart out there,” Waters said. “You just hope that they turn it on at the right time in conference play.”
