A lot more than just the Charles River separates the Boston University and Harvard University softball teams.
As the Terriers (10-10) prepare for the first of two games this season against their cross-town rivals this Thursday, the most notable difference between the two teams is their winning percentages&-BU doubles Harvard’s (4-12) .250 with a .500 clip.
The Terriers have found consistency after starting the season 4-8 by winning six of their last eight games. However, the Crimson are still searching, carrying an eight-game losing streak into Thursday’s game.
But the Terriers’ statistical dominance does not end with winning percentage. Harvard is looking up at the Mendoza line with a team batting average of .195, while BU has posted a conference-leading .292. Six Terrier batters have higher batting averages than Harvard’s top hitter, senior infielder Melissa Schellberg, who is batting .263.
On the mound, Crimson sophomore ace Rachel Brown is the only hurler who has recorded a Harvard win this season, holding a 4-4 record and a 2.06 ERA. While her ERA bests that of any Terrier pitcher, Harvard lacks another pitcher with an ERA under 4.87. The Terrier’s 3.11 team ERA outshines the Crimson’s 3.72 mark.
Nevertheless, BU coach Shawn Rychcik does not plan on taking the Crimson lightly.
“[Harvard hasn’t] played that many games, so you need to be careful looking at records or averages,” Rychcik said. “We don’t want to get caught saying they’re not going to be that good.”
The Terriers cannot take anything for granted this season. Just two weeks ago, BU had as many wins as the Crimson, and was regrouping from a difficult series of injuries. In fact, injuries still persist for the Terriers. When one player returns from an injury, another goes on the injury list.
“[Sophomore infielder] Emily Roesch will be cleared [to play this weekend],” Rychcik said. “But we did have another injury to [junior pitcher] Kelley Engman, so she’s out indefinitely for now. It just changes where we’re at, personnel-wise. We’re still injured, but we just need to keep afloat and get as many wins as we can.”
The local rivalry that exists between BU and Harvard will ensure that both teams bring plenty of energy to the competition.
“We play [the Crimson] every year and you like to knock them off a couple times as you play them,” Rychcik said. “You don’t want to lay down.”
Rychcik, elaborating on the team’s need to maintain energy, said, “I think having as many injuries we have, we don’t have the luxury to relax. It has taken all we have to get where we are right now.”
The Terriers will have to keep an eye out for Brown, far and away Harvard’s best pitcher, if they face her.
“We’ve seen [Brown] a couple times now, so I’d assume [she will be starting],” Rychcik said. “She has a pretty good changeup, and she throws really hard. She’s someone we need to be ready for.
Leading the charge against Harvard’s pitching staff will be junior outfielder April Setterlund, whose .517 batting average leads America East, and senior infielder Rachel Hebert, who is producing in the leadoff position and has sparked rallies for BU in past games.
On the defensive side of the ball, BU will have to avoid giving up runs early in the game, as 11 of the Crimson’s 28 runs this season have come in the first inning.
“They’re a little bit dominant in the top half of their order,” said Rychcik of the Harvard offense. “They come out with a lot of energy, and are able to get on the board early, so that’ll be something that we definitely need to try and shut down.”
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