No matter which Boston University team is playing, a trip up to Chestnut Hill to play Boston College is always a special thing for the Terriers.
This rings true for the softball team, who goes into today’s game against the Eagles with a 13-game winning streak on the line. They won’t want to lose that streak to their arch-rivals up the street on Commonwealth Avenue.
“The fact that it’s BC makes it a little bit more of a special game,” said senior pitcher Robyn King. “They have a strong program, and we always want to beat them.”
As for the Terriers’ winning streak, the team has come together after a rough start to the season to handily defeat most of their America East opponents behind the pitching of King and sophomores Robyn Horrick and Tiffany Finateri. King is the two-time reigning America East Pitcher of the Week, and in her shutout on Tuesday, she hardly showed signs of slowing down.
Finateri has also been the team’s best power hitter, knocking out four home runs and driving in 18 runs. Meanwhile, the continued recovery of senior center fielder Kenya Palmer from an ankle injury bodes well for the team’s offense.
Recently, BU coach Amy Hayes has said, while the team is collecting hits, it isn’t driving in enough runs to put opponents away.
Her star pitcher agrees.
“We need to get more than two hits in the same inning,” King said. “We have to start hitting in bunches.”
The Terriers got four of their seven runs on Tuesday from a pair of two-run home runs, one by senior catcher Leslie Linnemeyer in the first game and the other by junior third baseman Aryn Rangel in the nightcap. Rangel has shown the ability to hit the ball out of the park, but the Terriers need her to consistently do so in their attempts to get more runners across the plate.
BU could use Palmer’s speed on the basepaths, as well as her hitting ability. She was able to show that hitting ability on Tuesday, but when she was thrown out attempting to steal second base, it was clear that the ankle is still slowing her down.
While BU’s hitting must improve, Boston College is looking at a different scenario. While Eagles pitching has been solid, they have no ace like King. Boston College’s ace is Tekae Malandris, who has a 1.34 earned run average, but has so far gone 7-10.
However, the Eagles’ strengths lie in their bats. They boast five regulars hitting over .300, with Cara Blumfeld leading the team at .395. Her contributions aren’t just in the batting average category, as Blumfeld has knocked 10 balls out of the park, while driving in 38 runs. Altogether, Boston College has a team batting average of .272, and they have outscored their opponents, 161-106.
Facing such a lineup is a daunting task for any pitcher, even for one of the Terriers’ hurlers who has pitched so well lately.
“It is more intimidating as a pitcher,” King said of facing a team that hits like Boston College. “But it is also a challenge and a chance to go in and improve.”
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