May 3, 2014
Box Scores: Game 1 (W, 1-0) | Game 2 (W, 6-0)
Postgame Comments: Russell | Kehr
Sunday Links: Listen | | @BUGameDay
BOSTON - Highlighted by sophomore pitcher Melanie Russell's perfect game, the Boston University softball team claimed a doubleheader sweep over Bucknell by a combined score of 7-0 on Saturday afternoon at home. With the pair of victories, the Terriers (32-18, 13-4 PL) extend their win streak to 13 games, while the Bison fall to 20-24 (9-8 PL).
The reigning Patriot League Pitcher of the Week Russell threw 77 pitches and recorded four strikeouts without a walk to earn the program's eighth-ever perfect game and 22nd overall no-hitter. She is just the fifth Terrier to reach the perfect milestone and first since Cassidi Hardy ('10) shut out Hartford in 2010.
Senior and reigning PL Player of the Week Brittany Clendenny provided Russell (9-3) the 1-0 win by plating classmate Jayme Mask from third with a one-out double to the left-center gap in the bottom of the sixth. Backed by six runs off eight hits, freshman Makinna Akers (9-2) earned the second win by limiting the Bison to three singles with five strikeouts and zero walks.
Bucknell opened the contest with back-to-back full counts but popped up to the infielders both times. In the final inning, the Bison made solid contact three times, but the outfielders recorded the first two catches with Clendenny picking up the grounder deep at short before throwing to first for the 21st and final out.
Amanda Fazio (3-5) also had a strong performance in the circle, holding the Terriers to just two hits through the first five innings. Mask opened the sixth with a bunt single. She later stole second with one out and advanced to third on a throwing error. Facing a full count, Clendenny gave BU the lead for good.
In the second game, freshmen Gabi Martinez and Moriah Connolly tallied two hits apiece and also scored two times each for the victory. Their classmate Brittany Younan delivered three RBIs behind a single and sacrifice fly.
Bucknell was quickly retired in the first before finally recording a hit in the top of the second with Kristen Zahn going up the middle. She moved to second on a sac bunt but was stranded as Akers got out of the jam by inducing two fly outs.
The Terriers grabbed the 2-0 lead in the third behind Younan's two-RBI single that plated both Connolly and Martinez. They then added four more runs in the fifth behind RBI hits from Connolly, Younan and Clendenny to put the game away.
BU will next conclude the regular season on Sunday (May 4) at 12 p.m. against Bucknell. Before the first pitch, the Terriers will recognize four seniors - Brittany Clendenny, Amy Ekart, Chelsea Kehr and Jayme Mask.
