Box Score | Watch Replay | Photo Gallery

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - For the 11th time in program history, the Boston University softball team is conference champion after claiming a 9-0 run-rule victory over Army West Point on Sunday morning at Lehigh's Leadership Park.

Guided by first-year head coach Ashley Waters, the No. 3-seed Terriers (28-22) jumped out with two runs in the first and added seven more combined in the fourth and fifth innings to improve to 6-0 all-time in the Patriot League tournament after winning the 2014 title and missing out in 2015. The Terriers will learn their eighth NCAA regional destination tonight at 10 p.m. on the ESPNU selection show.

Senior Melanie Russell (14-9) limited the No. 2 Black Knights (39-20) to just one hit and was named tournament MVP after allowing four runs total against the top two seeds in 19 innings of work. Juniors Moriah Connolly, Gabi Martinez and Brittany Younan recorded two hits apiece against Army and combined for five RBIs to earn a spot on the PL All-Tournament team alongside Russell.

Sophomore Kaitlin Sahlinger also had a strong day at the plate, going 1-of-3 with a two-RBI double while also scoring two runs. Freshman Emily Morrow added an RBI single and run scored for BU's first-ever run-rule victory in a conference final.

Younan led off the game with a double against PL Rookie of the Year Renee Poirier (11-6) and advanced to third on Connolly's single. Martinez then gave BU the lead for good with a one-out, two-RBI single. 

After Russell retired the first nine Black Knights, BU added three more runs in the fourth with the help of a wild pitch, two Army errors, and RBI hits from both Morrow and Connolly.

The Terriers then followed in the fifth by loading the bases with one out on two walks and a hit-by-pitch. Sahlinger's two-RBI double was followed by Younan's two-RBI single for the 9-0 advantage.

Army's Alee Rashenskas broke up Russell's no-hit bid in the fourth with a one-out single, but the Black Knights would not get another base runner on the rest of the contest.

BU will be making its fifth NCAA appearance in the last eight years and learn the regional destination at 10 p.m. on ESPNU. Regionals for the NCAA Division I Softball Championship will be held May 20-22 on 16 campus sites. At each campus site, a four-team, double-elimination tournament will be conducted, and the 16 winning teams advance to the following weekend's Super Regionals.

2016 Patriot League All-Tournament Team
Melanie Russell (Tournament MVP), Boston U.
Moriah Connolly, Boston U.
Gabi Martinez, Boston U.
Brittany Younan, Boston U.
Kasey McCravey, Army
Renee Poirier, Army
Alee Rashenskas, Army
Christine Campbell, Lehigh
Vicky Lattanzio, Lehigh
Amanda Fazio, Bucknell
Dana Nielsen, Bucknell