BOSTON - Despite posting a 9-5 advantage in hits, the Boston University softball team fell to Bryant, 4-2, in the home opener on Thursday afternoon. The Bulldogs scored all four of their runs in the fifth with the help of three extra-base hits, and Brandi Burgin held the Terriers off the scoreboard for the final six innings.

THE RUNDOWN

Final Score: Bryant 4, Boston University 2
Records: Bryant (5-20), BU (8-15)
Venue: BU Softball Field - Boston, Mass.
WP: Burgin (2-5, 7.0 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 K, 1 BB)
LP: Akers (4-4, 0.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER)
BU Leaders: Connolly (2-4 AB, 1 R, 2 SB, 1 2B), Morrow (2-2 AB, 1 BB), Ponce (2-3 AB) 
Bryant Leaders: Gradillas (1-3 AB, 2-RBI 2B, 1 R), Mastropietro (1-3 AB, SOLO HR), Monroe (1-2 AB,1-RBI 2B),

HOW IT HAPPENED

• After freshman Kali Magane got out of a bases-loaded jam by getting a force out at home and liner to right, the Terriers scored two runs off three hits and a Bryant error.
• Senior Moriah Connolly led off with a double and scored on a misplayed fly ball to left before senior Gabi Martinez plated sophomore Alex Heinen with an RBI single.
• The Terriers had multiple opportunities to add more runs but left the bases loaded in the first and also stranded two more runners on base in the fourth.
• Limited to just one hit through four innings, Bryant's offense exploded with four runs off four hits against Magane and senior reliever Makinna Akers in the fifth, featuring a solo homer by Bianca Mastropietro and a two-RBI double by Jessica Gradillas.
• Trying to mount a rally, BU had a single in each of the final three innings but came up short for its third-straight loss.

• Connolly, sophomore Emily Morrow and sophomore Alexa Ponce all had two hits apiece.
• Connolly added two stolen bases to increase her career total to 93 and is now two shy of No. 2 BU holder Shayne Lotito ('09), who is in her fourth season as the head coach at Bryant.
• Connolly also tied Erica Cassaci ('12) for No. 5 all-time at BU with 127 runs scored.

• The defending Patriot League tournament champion Terriers will next hit the road to open conference play at defending regular season champion Lehigh.
• The three-game series will begin with a doubleheader on Saturday (March 25) at 12 p.m.
• BU split with the Mountain Hawks in regular season play last year at home and claimed a 6-2 victory in the PL semifinals at Lehigh en route to the automatic NCAA berth.