Boston University
Illinois
Softball Defeats FAMU, 3-2; Falls to Illinois, 5-4
March 16, 2012 | Softball
March 16, 2012
CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Boston University softball team split in its first two games of The Game Tournament in Clearwater, Fla. The Terries defeated Florida A&M University, 3-2, in eight innings before falling to Illinois, 5-4. BU’s record stands at 11-8 on the season.
After taking extra innings to defeat FAMU, the Terriers took the field against Illinois for the second time this season, as the two teams previously squared off at the NFCA Leadoff Classic on Feb. 26, with BU claiming an 8-1 victory. Despite a solo home run by sophomore Amy Ekart in the top of the seventh, this meeting went in favor of the Illini, 5-4.
Ekart led the Terriers with two RBIs and also scored a run. Sophomore Brittany Clendenny led BU going 2-of-4 at the plate including a double while classmates Jayme Mask and Chelsea O’Connor each posted a hit. Both batters were also walked once.
Junior Whitney Tuthill was charged with the loss for the Terriers after pitching all six innings. Tuthill allowed two earned runs off of eight hits. She struck out three batters.
The Terriers took an early lead with the bases loaded early in the frame. Mask got on base with a walk then O’Connor singled to right field. Megan Volpano reached on a fielder’s choice as Mask was out at third but junior Emily Roesch walked to load the bases. Illinois’ pitcher then walked Ekart, allowing O’Connor to score and BU to take the 1-0 lead.
The Terriers tacked on two more runs in the top of the second inning as Clendenny and senior Erica Casacci got on base with back-to-back singles. The runners advanced after a sacrifice bunt by Mask then both Casacci and Clendenny scored on an error at second base for BU to have a 3-0 advantage.
Illinois posted its first run in the bottom of the third inning then made it a 3-2 game in the bottom of the fifth. The Illini used a three-run sixth inning to take the lead with three unearned runs.
At their last at-bat, the Terriers began the top of the seventh with a solo homer by Ekart to left center field but three straight outs for BU ended the game with Illinois on top, 5-4.
BU returns to the field for day two of The Game Tournament Saturday at 11:15 a.m. for a matchup with Coastal Carolina. The Terriers will then play Maryland at 4 p.m.
