After rolling through their first two tournaments, the Terriers’ third weekend of the season did not quite go as planned. The Terriers went 2-3 in the Razorback Invitational and were outscored by eight runs in both of their Saturday games.
Despite the setback, the Terriers still have several games to get back on track before the beginning of conference play.
Thursday — Arkansas wins 4-1 over BU
The Terriers led the 23rd-ranked Razorbacks for 5.2 innings before Arkansas finally got to junior pitcher Ali DuBois. DuBois gave up two hits and zero runs until Arkansas right fielder Linnie Malkin doubled to put two runs on the board with one out left in the sixth. DuBois finished with four runs, three of them earned, allowed.
The BU offense simply could not get going. The Terriers struck out a season-high seven times and left six players on base. Sophomore pinch-hitter Julia Handfield produced BU’s only run of the game in the top of the sixth when she doubled to score freshman third baseman Caitlin Coker.
Friday — BU wins 3-2 over Montana
Junior shortstop Patricia Dun and freshman pinch hitter Lizzy Avery’s late-game heroics gave the Terriers their first victory of the weekend. Avery’s sixth-inning double scored sophomore center fielder Aliyah Huerta-Leipner and freshman pinch runner Allison Boaz, giving the Terriers a 2-0 lead. Dun broke a 2-2 tie in the seventh with an RBI single, putting BU up by one run.
DuBois shut the Grizzlies down in the bottom of the inning, putting up her seventh victory and fourth complete game of the season. Although she allowed two runs in the sixth, DuBois still struck out nine batters while walking only two in the game.
Friday — BU wins 2-0 over Marist
After Huerta-Leipner hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the first, the contest between the Terriers and Red Foxes turned into a pitcher’s duel.
Sophomore pitcher Emily Gant and Marist starter Kiley Myers allowed eight hits combined, and DuBois came in for the final 1.1 innings to earn the save for BU. Gant struck out seven, her best mark of the season. Three of the four outs DuBois recorded came via strikeout.
Saturday — South Dakota State wins 12-4 over BU
The Jackrabbits had already built up an 8-0 lead by the time the Terriers scored their first run in the top of the fifth. Junior right fielder Marina Sylvestri singled in a run and Dun’s fifth-inning double tacked on two more, but it was too late for BU to have a chance at a comeback.
BU’s pitching staff simply could not put South Dakota State away, conceding 12 runs and 18 hits. DuBois started off the game and allowed an unearned run. Gant pitched the next three innings, allowing six runs. Senior pitchers Lizzie Annerino and Kali Magane each made their season debut in the circle and ceded a run, and Avery gave up three runs before recording the final out.
Saturday — Arkansas wins 10-2 over BU
The Terriers found themselves on the wrong end of the mercy rule after giving up 10 unanswered runs to Arkansas. Coker and Huerta-Leipner each knocked in a run for BU to put the Terriers up 2-0 in the top of the third, but the Razorbacks quickly responded with four runs in the bottom of the inning.
Arkansas got to DuBois again, tagging her for six earned runs and seven hits in only four innings. The usually sharp DuBois labored through her stint in the circle, prompting head coach Ashley Waters to replace her with Gant. Gant faced only two batters before Boaz came in to finish the game. Boaz allowed four hits and four runs, two of them earned.
Up Next
The Terriers will spend spring break in Southern California. They open the trip with a five-game tournament at UCLA, followed by one game at Long Beach State and another five-game tournament at Cal State Fullerton.
Featured Image Courtesy of Steve Simoneau.
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