Terriers Earn Split on Final Day of CSU Invitational

Saturday, February 20

Charleston, S.C.

11:00 AM

Boston University

1-3

North Carolina A&T

4-2

Boston University

N.C. A&T

Terriers Earn Split on Final Day of CSU Invitational

February 20, 2016 | Softball

Box Score

Feb. 20, 2016

Box Scores: North Carolina A&T (W, 8-0 / 6 inn.) | Western Carolina (L, 5-4)

CHARLESTON, S.C. - The Boston University softball team rebounded from a one-run loss to Western Carolina with an 8-0 run-rule victory over North Carolina A&T to conclude the CSU Invitational Saturday afternoon.

Collecting former Harvard assistant and 2008 America East Player of the Year Ashley Waters' first-career win as a head coach, the Terriers (1-3) scored a run in the top of the first against the Aggies (4-2) and added a combined six runs in the final three innings. Sophomore pitcher Sydni Overly (1-0) also earned her first win after being hampered by injury last season, as she allowed just three hits while recording three strikeouts in four innings of work. 

In a rematch of Friday's 9-1 win over BU, the Catamounts (6-2) jumped out to a 2-0 lead through the first three innings and overcame a pair of one-run deficits in the fifth and sixth, respectively, to escape with the win. 

Reaching home plate five times, sophomore Emma Wong was one of four Terriers with three hits apiece in the doubleheader. She led the offense by going a combined 3-of-6 and recording a double, triple and two RBIs with her four runs scored against NC A&T tying the school record. 

After WCU took advantage of a wild pitch in the first inning and hit a solo shot in the third, Wong tripled to right center in the top of the fourth. The Catamounts mishandled the throw in the infield, allowing her to cut BU's deficit in half. 

Wong struck again in the fifth with a two-out RBI single that plated freshman Emily Morrow for a 2-2 tie. WCU's defense committed another error, which allowed junior Moriah Connolly to score from second and give BU the lead.

The Catamounts quickly found the equalizer by taking advantage of a hit-by-pitch with a RBI double to center. BU though came right back in the sixth, as senior Lauren Hynes singled to third, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on Morrow's two-out single up the middle. 

Pitching a complete game, senior Melanie Russell (0-2) was in position to go to the seventh with a one-run lead, but a one-out error put a runner at first for WCU. The Catamounts flew out on the next at-bat and then tallied three consecutive two-out singles to take the lead for good.

BU had an opportunity to extend the game by putting two runners in scoring position with one out. Sophomore Jilee Schanda advanced to second from home on a throwing error by the catcher and later moved to third on a ground out. Wong then put the ball in play in front of home plate. WCU focused on keeping Schanda at third, which allowed Wong to reach second on the fielder's choice.

The Catamounts' gamble of allowing a second runner to reach scoring position with one out paid off, as Taylor Sigmon (3-1) got BU to strike out and line out to center for the win.

BU had little time to regroup from the disappointing loss with NC A&T waiting for the first-ever meeting between the two programs. Wong started off by earning a walk and eventually scoring on freshman Alex Heinen's sacrifice fly.

The Aggies had their chances to get on the scoreboard but were unable to break through against the BU defense, as they left 10 runners on the base paths. In the bottom half, NC A&T loaded the bases with zero outs with the help of a walk, bunt single and passed ball on a strikeout. 

Overly induced a force at home on an infield grounder and got two more outs to escape unscathed. Two innings later, Heinen doubled to right center to plate Wong from first. Wong had an RBI double of her own in the fourth before scoring on junior Brittany Younan's single to extend the lead to 4-0.

Hynes then took over for the Terriers, first delivering a two-RBI single down the left line in the top of the fifth and then pitching two scoreless innings to seal BU's first shutout of the season.

Following the split, BU will next travel to the FAU Invitational in Boca Raton, Fla., on Feb. 26-28. The Terriers will open against Columbia on Friday at 9 a.m.