BU Concludes Florida Trip with 3-0 Win over Michigan State, 3-2 Extra-Inning Loss to Ohio State

Sunday, February 11

Boca Raton, FL

9 AM

Boston University

2-2

Michigan State

2-3

Michigan State

Boston University

Photo by: Taylor Jones

BU Concludes Florida Trip with 3-0 Win over Michigan State, 3-2 Extra-Inning Loss to Ohio State

February 11, 2018 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 MSU Box (W, 3-0)OSU Box (L, 3-2)

BOCA RATON, Fla. – Facing a pair of 2017 Big Ten tournament semifinalists, the Boston University softball team wrapped up the FAU First-Pitch Classic with a 3-0 win over Michigan State and a hard-fought 3-2 eight-inning loss to Ohio State.

Freshman Ali Dubois (3-1) claimed her first-career shutout with seven strikeouts against the Spartans (2-3) and then pitched 1.1 scoreless innings of relief before the Buckeyes (5-0) took advantage of the international tie breaker rule with a walk-off RBI single. Junior Alex Heinen led the Terriers (3-2) on the offensive end by hitting a combined 5-of-6 with two RBIs.

GAME ONE: BU 3, MICHIGAN STATE 0

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Terriers took the lead for good in the bottom of the first by taking advantage of two Spartan errors with Heinen's one-out RBI single.
Michigan State tried to score the equalizer in the third on a single and two-out double, but senior shortstop Brittany Younan caught a relay throw from senior center fielder Jilee Schanda and threw a strike to Heinen at home to apply the tag.
Heinen added another hit to help set up a big fourth inning for the Terriers.
After she was replaced by junior Alexa Ponce on a fielder's choice, Michigan State hit senior Kaitlin Sahlinger and then committed another error to load the bases.
Senior Emma Wong delivered a pair of insurance runs with a two-out, two-RBI single up the middle.
The Spartans had two quality chances to rally, starting in the sixth with back-to-back singles.
Dubois ended the first threat by inducing a groundout and pair of strikeouts.
In the seventh MSU loaded the bases with two outs off an error, hit-by-pitch and walk but flew out to Schanda in center for the loss.

GAME TWO: OHIO STATE 3, BU 2 (8 inn.)

THE EIGHTH INNING

Both teams started with a runner at second using international tiebreaker rules.
Junior Sam Sydenham advanced to third on a passed ball but never reached home, as the Terriers had two strikeouts and a line out.
2017 All-American Lilli Piper ended the game in the bottom half by hitting Dubois' first pitch up the middle to plate her teammate from second for the walk-off win.

THE SETUP

Scoring in the first inning for the third straight contest, BU grabbed an early lead off Schanda's one-out triple and Heinen's RBI single.
Junior Madi Killebrew and Ponce also had a single with one out, but Ohio State brought Shelby McCombs (3-0) in relief to get a force out at home and a routine grounder to prevent further damage.
Managing just one hit through the first four innings against sophomore Kali Magane, the Buckeyes broke through with a two-out double and single down the left field line to tie the game.
Heinen and Ponce started the sixth with a pair of singles and then advanced on junior Emily Morrow's sacrifice bunt.
After Sahlinger loaded the bases on a fielder's choice, Wong hit an RBI single to put BU back ahead, but the Terriers left the bases loaded for the second time.
McCombs helped her own cause by hitting a solo homer against sophomore reliever Lizzie Annerino to help send the game to extra innings.

FAU FIRST-PITCH CLASSIC NOTES

The Terriers shut out a major conference opponent for the first time since blanking then-No. 23 Syracuse, Boston College and Maryland with identical 1-0 scores in 2012 ... They also claimed their largest margin of victory in a shutout against a major conference since beating Auburn, 5-0, in the 2009 NCAAs.
BU has now won two of the last three meetings against Michigan State following a 4-3 loss in 2016 and 11-4 victory in 2014.
BU met Ohio State for the first time since suffering a 13-10 loss in 2005.
Both Heinen and Killebrew wrapped up the weekend with a team-high eight hits and two doubles apiece ... Heinen recorded five RBIs as well.
Dubois appeared in all five contests and finished with 15 strikeouts against nine walks in 20.0 innings while allowing only two earned runs.
As a team, BU hit .293 for the weekend while holding opponents to a .224 average.

NEXT UP: TROY COX CLASSIC

The Terriers will next head west to New Mexico State on Feb. 16-18 for five contests.
BU will face both the host Aggies and Ball State two times apiece.
The Terriers will also face off against defending national champion Oklahoma.