May 8, 2014

Box Score |   Photo Gallery  | Clendenny's Postgame Comments

Friday Links: Watch on PLN | Live Stats | @BUGameDay 

PL Tournament Notes | PL Tournament Central

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Trailing by two in the sixth, the No. 2 Boston University softball team rallied to claim a 4-3 extra-inning victory over No. 3 Bucknell Thursday afternoon in the opening round of the Patriot League tournament hosted by top-seeded Lehigh.

With the win, the Terriers (33-19) will next face No. 4 Army on Friday at 10:30 a.m. The Black Knights went extra innings to defeat Lehigh, 5-1, in the first game of the day.

Senior Brittany Clendenny led BU with a pair of RBI hits, first blasting a sixth-inning double at the center field fence and then driving home the game winner on a single to right in the eighth. Freshman Moriah Connolly was a perfect 2-of-2 with an inside-the-park home run. She scored three of the Terriers' four runs.

Sophomore Melanie Russell (10-3) pitched all eight innings and allowed three runs off nine hits while tallying seven strikeoutts. Bucknell relied on three pitchers, starting with Amanda Fazio, who limited the Terriers to one run and two hits through five innings.

Fazio posted five strikeouts before running into trouble in the sixth, as BU tied the game behind three hits. Lara Bean (8-6) collected the loss despite not giving up a hit in 1.2 innings. Her one mistake was a lead-off walk to Connolly, who moved to second on senior Jayme Mask's single off Cindy Cherness, advanced to third on freshman Brittany Younan's ground out at first and scored on Clendenny's single.

Coming off Sunday's 9-1 win at BU, the Bison got on the board first during the top of the thrid inning when Jacee Almond hit a one-out solo shot over the left field fence. In the bottom half, Connolly rifled the ball toward the right field line and flew around the bases to tie the game at 1-1.

Bucknell suffered a no-hitter on Saturday against Russell and got to the pitcher in the fifth with three hits. After a double and single by her teammates, Sanders singled to left field with two outs to push the Bison ahead, 3-1. Entering the contest batting .464, Sanders went 4-of-4 to lead all hitters.

After tying the game in the third, Connolly set the stage for another Terrier comeback. She singled to second to lead off the sixth and eventually scored following a ground out and Younan RBI single. That set the stage for the first of two Clendenny RBI hits.

The Bison had singles in both the seventh and eighth but could not get either runner into scoring position against Russell. The Terriers then claimed their third extra-inning victory of the season behind three hits.

With the win, they will next face the defending conference champion Black Knights at 10:30 a.m. on Friday. The winner will advance to Saturday's championship round, and the loser will face the Bucknell/Lehigh winner at approximately 3:30 p.m. on Friday.