The good times kept on rolling early Wednesday evening for the Boston University women’s softball team.
Slated for an away contest against Bryant University, the Terriers secured a 9-1 win in five innings through efficient hitting and nearly flawless pitching. Eight BU (15-20, 2-4 Patriot League) players recorded hits while senior Melanie Russell pitched her way to a three-hitter.
The junior class again led by example, as shortstop Brittany Younan, left fielder Moriah Connolly and designated player Gabi Martinez combined for seven hits and five RBIs. The eight-run margin of victory tied BU’s second-highest total of the 2016 season, and it has now won four of its last six games.
“I think they’re just doing a good job of playing a little bit more consistent,” said BU head coach Ashley Waters. “It was a good day to get out, and offensively, we did a great job of swinging the bat. That’s the part we have to do, because I think we’re capable of scoring that many runs each game … We’re playing good softball right now at the right time.”
The Terriers jumped right on the Bulldogs (6-29) in the first inning, as Connolly scored on a fielder’s choice to open the ballgame. The second run came shortly thereafter when sophomore Jilee Schanda capitalized on some heads-up base running.
The center fielder, who stole second base and smashed a single earlier in the frame, crossed home on a wild pitch from Bryant’s Hayley Bottino. BU’s early lead was extended in the top of the third when Schanda and Connolly rounded home yet again, this time the benefactors of a double by Martinez.
The Terrier bats remained hot in the fifth inning when freshman infielder Alexa Ponce turned a pinch-hit appearance into an RBI double. This was followed by freshman second baseman Emily Morrow snagging an RBI of her own and Younan driving in two runs on a single down the right field line.
Having watched her team’s deficit swell up to 9-0, Bottino was relieved by redshirt freshman Brandi Burgin.
“Our top of the order was coming back up, and it was one of those things where the second or third time back around, you’re seeing the same pitcher and making adjustments,” Waters said. “You’ve seen her twice now, so that’s usually when you get your best at bats, your best swing at the ball. I thought they did a good job of settling in, paying attention to what her sequences were and hitting back.”
Sophomore Sydni Overly took the mound in the bottom of the fifth inning, set on retiring the game’s final two batters. She eventually did just that, but not before an RBI single by Bryant’s Rachel Monroe ended BU’s chance at a shutout.
While the sterling performance came against a struggling Bulldog side, Waters remarked that she was pleased with the way her team went about its business.
“We take every opponent the same, we treat every opponent the same, so anyone can win on any given day,” Waters said. “If we have an off day, all of a sudden they can take the win away from us. We did a good job of just playing our game and staying focused on what our task was.”
Looking down the road, BU will play seven games by next Thursday, and that hectic schedule is just fine by Waters. The first contest will come Thursday afternoon against the University of Massachusetts Lowell, a three-game home series versus Lafayette College will unfold this weekend and a home series against Lehigh University is slated for next week.
The Terriers will undoubtedly be tested during that run, and Waters said experiences like the Bryant game will be invaluable on the road to success.
“Sports are based on repetition, so the more you play, the better you get,” Waters said. “It’s one of those pieces where you’re coming to the tail end of our season, we’re playing our best softball and for us, it’s just a matter of staying consistent, seeing ground balls, seeing fly balls, seeing live at-bats. Those are pieces that are going to help us in the tail end of the season.”
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.
