April 3, 2013
Box Score
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BOSTON - Trailing by as many as eight runs, the Boston University softball team rallied late to pull within one, but Connecticut held on for the 11-8 win at the BU Softball Field on Wednesday afternoon. Dropping their home opener, the Terriers fall to 9-17-1, while the Huskies improve to 14-13.
After giving up two runs in the top of the seventh, BU continued to battle and had the bases loaded with the winning run up to bat with just one out. Pitching the final 3.1 innings in relief for UConn, Kiki Saveriano (11-4) got out of the jam by picking up a grounder and quickly throwing home for the force out, allowing catcher Tori Thomson to turn the game-ending double play with the throw to first.
Nine Terriers combined for 13 hits with junior Jayme Mask tallying three and reaching home twice. Both freshman Haley King and junior Amy Ekart recorded two apiece, highlighted by Ekart's three-run blast in the bottom of the fourth that cut the Terriers' deficit to 8-5.
Senior Erin Schuppert (1-5) allowed six runs off seven hits through the first two innings, and freshman Lauren Hynes pitched the final five, allowing five runs off eight hits while striking out five Huskies.
UConn's Lauren Duggan started in the circle and gave up five runs on seven hits through 3.2 innings but helped the Huskies' cause by going a perfect 4-of-4 at the plate with two doubles and four RBIs. Batting cleanup, Marissa Guches recorded four hits and also had four RBIs.
Trailing 8-0 entering the bottom of the fourth, the Terriers began mounting their comeback against Duggan, as Hynes, King and sophomore Mandy Fernandez hit three consecutive singles. Following sophomore Emily Felbaum's RBI fielder's choice grounder to short, Mask singled King home with two outs. Ekart then crushed her team-leading third homer of the season, forcing UConn to bring in Saveriano from the bullpen to record the final out of the inning.
After the Huskies scored an insurance run off two hits in the sixth, the Terriers added three more to pull within one. Mask doubled to left and scored on junior Chelsea Kehr's single down the right field line. BU added two more on a RBI double by Clendenny and Hynes RBI grounder. UConn loaded the bases with a hit-by-pitch with two outs but got the strikeout to move to the seventh.
The Huskies responded to BU's charge in the top of the seventh with two runs off three hits, including an RBI single and double. The Terriers did not back down and loaded the bases off a Mask single, Kehr walk and UConn defensive error before Saveriano induced the game-ending double play.
The Terriers will conclude their two-game homestand on Thursday against crosstown rival Boston College with first pitch set for 4 p.m.
