Rumor has it that at some point this year, Robyn King gave up four earned runs.
The senior pitcher has not given up a single run, earned or unearned, in the last 50 2-3 innings, leading the Boston University softball team to a program record 18-game winning streak. The Terriers now stand at 27-11 (14-3 America East).
The Terriers broke the previous record of 16 straight wins in yesterday’s opener when sophomore Robyn Horrick pitched a complete game shutout, 5-0, improving her record to 13-5. King’s 4-0 win in the nightcap put her at 11-1, and lowered her already microscopic earned run average from 0.39 to 0.36.
The Terriers tied the previous record with two wins against the Tigers on Saturday. King won the opener, 4-0, and Horrick won the second by a 2-1 score.
While King and Horrick gave their usual stellar performances, a lot of the credit must go to BU hitters, who came up with hits in important situations all weekend.
Sophomore designated player Nichole Kurker came up huge yesterday, with two home runs to left field. Her three-run bomb in the second inning of the second game virtually sealed the game with King on the mound. Her two-run homer in the first game preceded sophomore Tiffany Finateri’s solo shot to left-center. Finateri has been the team’s best power hitter, knocking out five homers and driving in 19 runs. But Kurker was Sunday’s best, as she also knocked in the first run in the nightcap. She knocked in six of the team’s nine runs altogether on Sunday.
“Nichole just needs to see the ball, and she can hit it,” said BU coach Amy Hayes.
The series was not without a little conflict. Junior third baseman Aryn Rangel was hit twice on Saturday, and after she reacted angrily on the second occasion, sparks flew as Towson shortstop Lisa Pollock appeared to yell at Rangel to calm down.
In yesterday’s second game, King was beaned in the first inning, angering both the fans and the Terrier bench. There is a history of bad blood between the teams, and this weekend’s series did nothing to change that.
“There were some problems last year,” Hayes said. “I wouldn’t want to be the person that hits Robyn King.”
King showed why, for even in one of her less dominating performances, she threw yet another shutout. It was perhaps her hardest earned win in recent memory. King found herself with runners on third in numerous situations, but she always managed to get out of them, either by striking hitters out, or by making plays herself, such as a huge double play she made off of a screaming line drive. She finished her last performance at home with 10 strikeouts.
Horrick was her usual steady self all weekend. After a rough stretch to begin the season, she has been almost as good as King, winning or putting her team in position to win in every start. Sunday’s performance was dominant, as she gave up only four hits without a single walk while striking out seven.
As good as King and Horrick have been, the 18 straight wins have been a complete team effort. The Terriers have hit .293 and outscored their opponents 66-11 during the streak. In addition, the pitching staff of King, Horrick and Finateri has shutout opponents 12 times, and the team ERA during the streak is 0.37.
“We’ve had the big hits when we’ve needed them,” Hayes said of the team’s offensive performance in the record setting stretch.
The last games of the streak have seen the return of senior outfielders Courtney Herr and Kenya Palmer. Palmer has the highest average on the team, and made an emphatic return with two triples in Saturday’s second game.
“Kenya had a great weekend,” Hayes said. “She’s not 100 percent yet. She’s at about 80 percent, but 80 percent for Kenya is better than 100 percent for most people.”
The game marked the last performances for five BU seniors: King, Palmer, Courtney Herr, second baseman Kerry Herr and catcher Leslie Linnemeyer.
“I hope the seniors will leave their drive, their heart and their tenacity to the younger players on this team,” Hayes said. “They are five strong, young women.”
And the members of their strong, young team are playing like they are unstoppable.
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