April 25, 2012
Box Score (Game One) | Box Score (Game Two)
BOSTON - The Boston University softball team extended its winning streak to five games with a sweep of the Providence Friars Wednesday afternoon at the BU Softball Field. The Terriers defeated the Friars by scores of 5-3 and 3-1 to improve their record to 29-13 (8-3 America East) on the season.
Sophomore Brittany Clendenny led the Terriers in the first game, going 3-for-3 at the plate with a trio of doubles. The shortstop also scored three runs for BU. Classmate Megan Volpano drove in three RBIs while junior Emily Roesch hit her fourth homer of the season. Sophomore Amy Ekart accounted for BU’s other run.
Holli Floetker was on the mound for the Terriers and earned her 16th win of the season with the win. The sophomore struck out five batters and allowed just one earned run and three hits. The right-handed hurler shut out the Friars through the first six innings before Providence scored three runs in the top of the seventh.
Clendenny led off for the Terriers with a double to left field and senior Erica Casacci used a sacrifice bunt to advance her to third. Volpano drove in the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly to centerfield and BU took a 1-0 lead after one inning.
Providence began the second inning with a double from Kristie Dederick but three straight outs stranded the runner on second base to end the inning. BU followed with a one-hit bottom half of the frame, as Ekart reached with a single up the middle.
The Terriers scored again in the bottom of the third with Clendenny getting on with her second double of the game. Casacci again advanced Clendenny to third base and Volpano smacked a single up the middle to bring another run home and put BU ahead, 2-0.
During their next at-bat, the Terriers tacked on another run driven in by Ekart. Sophomore Chelsea Kehr began with a single down the left field line before freshman Kendra Meadows stepped in to pinch run. Meadows then stole second and advanced to third on a groundout by Roesch. Ekart then stepped up and singled through the right side to bring the run home.
BU added additional runs in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings. Clendenny doubled to center field for the third time of the game and Casacci again advanced her to third with a sacrifice bunt. Volpano drove in the run, and got on base, with a fielder’s choice to give BU a 4-0 lead after five innings. In the sixth, Roesch led off with a homer to left field to extend BU’s lead to 5-0.
After being shutout through the first six innings, the Friars scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth. A fielder’s choice by Lauren Paiva and a two RBI single from Marie Flego put Providence on the board, but BU held on and claimed the 5-3 victory.
Junior Whitney Tuthill was in the circle for BU in the second game and improved her record to 8-4 on the season with the victory. Tuthill allowed just one run off of six hits while striking out six batters.
Clendenny again led the Terriers with a pair of hits, both doubles, bringing her total to five doubles on the afternoon. She also scored two runs for BU. Volpano led the team with two RBIs while sophomore Chelsea O’Connor hit her fourth home run of the season.
Providence started the scoring in the second game, as Michelle Huber led off with an infield single. She then stole second base before Dederick singled to right field, allowing Huber to round third and score to give the Friars an early 1-0 lead.
The Terriers tied the game in the bottom half of the inning, scoring in familiar fashion. Clendenny began with a double to left field and advanced to third on a groundout by Casacci. Volpano then knocked in the run with her second sacrifice fly of the day to knot the score at 1-1 after the first inning.
Both teams went scoreless through the second and third innings before BU took the lead in the bottom of the fourth. O’Connor knocked a solo homer to center field to put BU ahead, 2-1. The Terriers then added to their lead in the bottom of the fifth with Clendenny hitting her fifth double of the day with two outs in the inning. Clendenny took third base on a wild pitch and Casacci was walked, bringing up Volpano. The third baseman drove the ball to left field to score Clendenny and give BU a 3-1 lead heading into the sixth inning.
Providence mustered just one hit in the top half of the frame before BU left two on base in the bottom of the sixth. Ekart got on base with a single up the middle then freshman Mandy Fernandez put two runners in scoring position with a double to left field, but Delgado popped up to the shortstop to end the inning.
In their final at-bat, Providence began with a single from Marie Felgo. Sarah Kitterman then reached on a fielder’s choice with Felgo out at second base. Tuthill struck out the next batter and Huber flied out to left field to end the game with a 3-1 BU victory.
The Terriers return to action on Thursday as they travel to Chestnut Hill, Mass. to face Boston College. Game time is set for 4 p.m.
