BOSTON – Seeking its third NCAA berth in four years, the No. 2 seed and defending conference champion Boston University softball team will open the double-elimination Patriot League tournament against No. 3 Army West Point on Thursday with action slated to begin at 2:30 p.m. at No. 1 Lehigh. The regular-season champion Mountain Hawks and No. 4 Holy Cross will compete in the first contest at 12 p.m.

Fans unable to attend will be able to watch all of the games for free on the Patriot League Network.

The Terriers will bring a pair of streaks into the tournament, including a nine-game unbeaten streak in postseason play with three-game sweeps in 2012 (America East), 2014 (Patriot League) and 2016 (Patriot League). BU was banned from participating in the 2013 AE tourney due to the move to the PL and then failed to clinch a top-four spot in 2015.

BU coincidentally claimed both of its PL titles at Lehigh. The Terriers suffered a three-game sweep to the Mountain Hawks to open conference action back in March by a combined score of 30-10 but since then have won 14 straight games against PL members by a staggering combined score of 87-18.

CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT HISTORY

• BU is 52-26 overall in conference tournaments, having won 11 titles and finish runner-up six times.
• The Terriers are making their eighth overall appearance as the No. 2 seed and making their first since winning it all in 2014 ... They own a 15-8 record with America East championship wins in 1996 and 2009 ... They finished runner-up in both 1994 and 1995 ... They only went 0-2 once in 2008.
• BU returns two of four 2016 All-Tournament Team members ... Senior Moriah Connolly went 6-of-12 in three contests with three RBIs and three runs scored, while classmate Gabi Martinez went 4-of-11 with five RBIs ... Senior Brittany Younan also had three runs and three RBIs but has missed all of 2017 due to injury.
• One key question for the Terriers will be the pitching staff, as 2016 PL Pitcher of the Year Melanie Russell threw every pitch in both the 2014 and 2016 tourneys before graduating ... Last year, she was named the tourney MVP after allowing just 10 hits in 19 innings of work with the help of seven strikeouts.

TERRIER TIDBITS

• For the third time in four years, BU received six All-PL awards ... This year's team matched the 2016 squad with four named to the first team with senior shortstop Moriah Connolly (.335 avg, 45r, 38 SBs), senior utility Gabi Martinez (.322 avg., 5 HRs, 11 2Bs, 31 RBIs), junior outfielder Jilee Schanda (.353 avg., 4 HRs, 22 RBIs) and senior pitcher Makinna Akers (12-9, 2.14 ERA, .273 opposing avg.) all earning recognition.
• Schanda was also named BU's first Player of the Year since 2013 when Jayme Mask ('14) was honored by the America East ... Besides making several stellar defensive plays in center, Schanda batted a PL-high .436 in conference play with 22 runs scored and five stolen bases ... She was joined on the Academic All-PL team by both Connolly and Martinez.
• Sophomore catcher Alex Heinen (.294 avg., 7 HRs, 39 RBIs) and sophomore designated player Alexa Ponce (.250 avg., 16 RBIs) were both named to the PL's second team.
• BU batted .271 overall during the season and increased the average to .320 in conference play ... Senior Rachel Levine has come up big against PL competition, hitting .368 with six RBIs while junior Kaitlin Sahlinger and sophomore Emily Morrow combined for 17 RBIs and 12 runs scored ... Junior Emma Wong recorded three triples and reached home plate eight times. 
• Defensively, opponents had their batting average of .279 drop to .253 during PL action ... Named PL Pitcher of the Week back on Monday, freshman Kali Magane (11-10, 3.03 ERA) has matched Akers in both shutouts (four) and complete-game performances (10).

• Lehigh enters as the No. 1 seed and host for the sixth straight year ... The Mountain Hawks are 2-3 in the last five attempts in capturing the title with BU winning in 2014 & 2016 and Army winning in 2013 ... They went a perfect 9-0 this season against BU, Army and Holy Cross by a combined score of 75-22.
• The 13-time PL champion Mountain Hawks had four All-PL First Team honorees and a league-high eight total All-PL members, including 2017 Pitcher of the Year Christine Campbell.
• Lehigh went 13-1 at home this season with the lone loss coming against Lafayette (3-1) ... Overall, the Mountain Hawks are hitting .289 with Nicole Yozzo (.339 avg.), Ashley Cole (.338 avg., 5 HRs, 35 R, 24 RBIs) and Carolyn Wright (.311 avg., 3 HRs, 40 RBIs) leading the way ... Campbell (18-5, 2.24 ERA) and Emily Sorem (11-7, 2.15 ERA) have had impressive seasons in the circle.
• BU has won the last five games against Army, including two in the 2016 PL tourney, by a combined score of 35-3, with the Terriers edging the Black Knights, 3-2, in the first game last May at Lehigh .
• The five-time PL champion Black Knights has three All-PL members with Lacey Swafford (.318 avg., 10 2Bs, 20 RBIs) earning PL Rookie of the Year honors.
• Last winning in 2013, Army is batting .273 with Ashley Yoo (.348 avg., 15 RBIs), Alee Rashenskas (.305, 17 RBIs) and Emily Ballesteros (.297 avg., 2 HRs, 30 RBIs) all making key contributions ... In the circle, Renee Poirier (13-7, 2.26 ERA, 5 SVs) and Caroline Smith (12-6, 2.39 ERA) have carried the load for the pitching staff this season.
• Holy Cross won its lone title in 1998 and suffered a sweep at BU by a combined score of 21-4 ... The Crusaders did win two of three at Army, pulling out 4-2 and 5-2 victories following a 7-6 loss.
• The Crusaders are hitting .266 as a team with All-PL Second Team members Mandy McCarthy (.365 avg., 3 HRs, 23 RBIs) and Taylor Wahler (.328 avg., 3 HRs, 23 R) leading the way ... Emily Krisanda (.349 avg., 4 HRs) has also made key contributions.
• Alexandra Held (9-10, 4.17) and Katy Watson (3-13, 4.89 ERA) have helped the offense keep opponents' batting average to .304.