2007 Softball Season In Review
June 4, 2007 | Softball
BOSTON – Highlighted by personal and team accomplishments, the Boston University softball squad turned in an impressive 2007 season, posting a 34-14 record and claiming the America East regular-season crown for the first time since 2003. The Terriers were rewarded for their outstanding year, sweeping the America East year-end awards – the first team to accomplish the feat in conference softball history.
Sophomore Christy Leath headlined the group with Player of the Year honors, while freshman Megan Currier earned Pitcher of the Year accolades and classmate Rachel Hebert was named the Rookie of the Year. Currier was the just the second freshman to ever win the award and first since 1998. Third-year head coach Shawn Rychcik was named the 2007 Coach of the Year for leading the young Terriers to the regular-season title. The entire infield and most of the outfield earned a spot on either the America East All-Conference First or Second Teams. Leath, Currier and Hebert were joined by sophomore Melissa Dubay (.348 avg., 7 HR, 30 RBI, 14 steals) and senior Chiya Louie (.329 avg., 14 HR, 44 RBI) on the first team, while sophomore Shayne Lotito (.309 avg., 46 hits, 5 doubles, 17 steals), sophomore Brooke Hudson (.244 avg., 18 RBI) and senior Brandi Shields (.349 avg., 7 HR, 24 steals) were named to the second team. Currier and Hebert also garnered All-Rookie Team honors.
Entering the 2007 campaign, the Terriers strength rested in its pitching staff, however, injuries prevented them from using their full rotation. The bulk of the responsibilities fell onto the shoulders of senior Brittany Detwiler and the newcomer Currier, as both hurlers shared pitching duties throughout the final 70 percent of the season. Both threw no-hitters early in the season with Detwiler’s coming in the season opener – the first Terrier no-hitter in six years. Currier tossed her own less than a month later on March 14 against Buffalo. By season’s end, Currier proved she belonged in the upper echelon of America East pitchers. Her .750 winning percentage was the best in the conference and her 2.20 ERA ranked fourth.
Currier and Detwiler’s battery mate, Leath, was not only vital to BU’s pitching staff, but she was also crucial in the batter’s box. The sophomore catcher hit a team-high .380, which placed her second in the conference. By earning the AE Player of the Year distinction, she followed in the footsteps of former Terrier greats Jaime Haas, Michelle White and BU Hall of Famer Beth Iwamoto.
While strong pitching was a bright spot for the Terriers, their hitting was the story of the season. They got to work early on the home run record and surpassed it just 20 games into the season. BU went on to more than double the previous mark and finished with 65, which placed the squad fourth in the nation with 1.35 per game. Louie led the home run derby, smashing 14 over the fence – a single-season record – and finished her career with a school-record 32 round-trippers.
Hebert also proved to have a big bat with 11 dingers and a .319 batting average. The first baseman showed she was more than just a great hitter by turning up the defense and earning the second-best fielding percentage in the conference (.995).
BU tackled a tough non-conference schedule, which featured seven NCAA Tournament teams from 2006, and picked up wins versus Georgia Southern, Iowa, Princeton and Indiana.
Statistically, the Terriers were at the top of the conference rankings throughout much of the season. In conference-only statistics, five Terriers held the top five spots for batters, as Leath hit a remarkable .410 in league games, followed by Dubay (.406), Shields (.397), Lotito (.390) and Hebert (.379). As a team, BU batted 50 percentage points ahead of its nearest competitor in conference-only contests.
On the national level, BU ranked fourth in home runs per game (1.35), sixth in slugging percentage (.515) and 12th in scoring (5.95 runs per game). Louie was 22nd in home runs per game (0.29), 38th in RBI (0.92) and 39th in slugging percentage (.714), while Shields ranked 41st in steals per game (0.5).
After cruising through the conference schedule with a 17-3 mark, the Terriers earned a No. 1 seed in the conference tournament and the advantage of playing at BU Softball Field. While BU was eliminated from the tourney in two games, its remarkable accomplishments from the season and a strong assembly of returning players, including seven starters, will help lay the groundwork for the 2008 season.
For a complete list of the Terriers’ updated record books click here.
