Boston University
Rhode Island
Terriers Take Two from URI
April 15, 2011 | Softball
Box Score (Game 1) | Box Score (Game 2) | 
Photo Gallery
Listen (Fairfield) | Gametracker (Fairfield 1) | Gametracker (Fairfield 2)
KINGSTON, R.I. - Redshirt freshman Chelsea Kehr provided the heroics in game one with five RBIs and senior Caitlin Rentler was clutch in game two with an eighth-inning double as the Boston University softball team (23-12) swept Rhode Island (4-35) on Friday afternoon at URI's Softball Complex.
The Terriers took care of business in the first game with a 9-2 victory, but it took eight innings for them to claim a 7-4 win in game two and complete the sweep.
Kehr was the Terriers' offensive spark in the first game, driving in five runs on three hits. She also hit two home runs to tie a single-game school record. Classmate Jayme Mask was also an offensive threat with six hits through two games. She tied a single-game record with three stolen bases. Rentler was the team's starting catcher in the second game and came through with a clutch two-run two-bagger in the eighth. She finished the game with two hits and three RBIs.
Sophomore Erin Schuppert improved to 7-3 in the pitcher's circle with a complete-game effort in the first contest. She struck out five batters and allowed two runs on six hits. In game two, senior Kelley Engman got the nod and went 6.1 innings with seven strikeouts. She surrendered three runs on seven hits. Sophomore Whitney Tuthill came into to pitch the final 1.2 frames and earned the win to improve to 7-5.
In game one, the Terriers led 2-1 through two innings as Mask and senior Christina Valdes provided the offense for BU in the early going. Mask scored in the first after stealing second and third base. She then took advantage of an error in left field for her team-high 31st run of the season. Valdes increased the advantage in the second, scoring from third on a sacrifice fly by freshman Amy Ekart.
BU tacked on two additional runs in the third on back-to-back doubles from Kehr and Clendenny. In the fifth, it stretched out its lead to 6-1 as Kehr lead off with a solo home run and two at-bats later junior Melanie Delgado went deep for the second time in as many games. One inning later, Kehr struck once again unloading a three-run dinger to put the Terriers up 9-1.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Rams answered with a solo homer of their own, however, the seven-run deficit was too much to overcome. In the seventh, the Terriers made a handful of strong defensive plays, including a diving catch by junior Erica Casacci in left field to preserve the victory.
In game two it was a stalemate through six innings as neither team was able to generate much offense. In the bottom of the fourth, URI threatened with runners on first and third. With one out, URI's Shelby Marquis put the ball in play, but Delgado made a great defensive stop, scooping it up, tagging the runner heading for second then completing the double play with a throw to first to end the frame unscathed.
Both offenses came alive in the seventh as BU put up four runs on five hits. Rentler drove in one on a single into left center, and then Delgado and Mask followed up with two more singles to load the bases. Casacci then ripped a double to left center to push three across home and take a 4-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh. URI answered with four runs of its own, highlighted by a three-run homer to left center.
In the eighth, Tuthill gave BU the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly out, and in the next at-bat Rentler added two crucial insurance runs on a double to left center. In the bottom half of the frame, Tuthill retired all three batters in orders to secure the victory.
BU will return to BU Softball Field on Sunday (April 15) when it welcomes Fairfield at 1 p.m. in a doubleheader.
