BU Edged in Extra-Inning Heartbreakers by No. 21 LBSU, SJSU

Thursday, March 8

Long Beach, CA

9 AM PT

Boston University

7-9

San Jose State @ LBSU

13-7

San Jose State

Boston U

Ali Dubois pitching with Terrier defense

Photo by: Taylor Jones

BU Edged in Extra-Inning Heartbreakers by No. 21 LBSU, SJSU

March 8, 2018 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 SJSU Box (L, 5-3 / 10 inn.)#21 LBSU Box (L, 1-0 / 8 inn.)

LONG BEACH, Calif. – The Boston University softball team opened the Louisville Slugger Invitational with a pair of heart-breaking extra-inning losses, as the Terriers (7-10) dropped a 5-3 decision to defending Mountain West champion San Jose State (13-7) and a 1-0 contest against No. 21 and host Long Beach State (18-5).

GAME 1: SAN JOSE STATE 5, BU 3 (10 inn.)

EXTRA INNINGS

The teams used international tiebreaker rules, meaning each squad started off with a runner at second base.
After the Spartans stranded their runner at third in the top of the eighth against freshman Cali Dolfi (3-4), BU had senior Brittany Younan in scoring position at second and junior Madi Killebrew at first following a walk with zero outs.
Junior Alex Heinen singled to right field, but the Terriers couldn't get the walk-off win, as SJSU managed to throw the speedy Younan out at home.
BU then loaded the bases on a catcher's interference but hit an infield pop up and ground out to send the game to the ninth.
After SJSU stranded two on base, the Terriers again advanced a runner to third with one out but popped up to short and struck out swinging.
The Spartans broke the deadlock in the top of the 10th with a single, RBI sacrifice fly and two-out RBI double.
Limiting the Terriers to just three hits over the final 4.2 innings in relief, SJSU's Caroline Bowman improved to 8-0 on the season.

THE SETUP

SJSU struck first in the second with an RBI single against freshman Ali Dubois and later prompted a pitching change in the fifth with a lead-off double.
The Spartans stayed on the attack with an RBI triple and double against Dolfi to push the lead to 3-0.
Senior Jilee Schanda provided the needed spark for the Terriers in the bottom half with a lead-off triple that was followed by junior Alexa Ponce's sacrifice fly.
The Terriers continued the rally in the sixth with Younan's lead-off single and junior Alex Heinen's RBI double.
With two outs, senior Emma Wong helped tie the game by beating out a grounder to third to plate senior pinch-runner Diana Parker.

GAME 2: LONG BEACH STATE 1, BU 0 (8 inn.)

EXTRA INNINGS

In the top of the eighth, junior Alexa Ponce stole third, but the Terriers were unable to drive her home against reigning Big West Freshman Pitcher of the Year Cielo Meza (10-1), who recorded her fourth shutout and eighth complete-game of the season.
With runners at the corners following a leadoff single, Long Beach State walked off with an RBI single through the left side.

THE SETUP

After pitching the final six innings against San Jose State, Dolfi pitched a complete game against the 49ers.
She scattered just four hits and allowed just two walks through the first seven innings.
Neither team had a runner reach second base until the bottom of the sixth inning, when LBSU led off the frame with a triple.
After a walk created runners at first and third, the 49ers grounded into an out at home as Younan retired the lead runner.
Dolfi then fielded her position to finish the frame.
Heinen led off the top of the seventh with a single and eventually reached third with two outs, but the Terriers were unable to get her home.

DOUBLEHEADER NOTES

Dolfi allowed a combined 11 hits and two earned runs in 13.0 innings of work with three walks.
Heinen led the Terriers with four hits in the doubleheader, while both Ponce and Wong had two hits apiece ... All three contributed an RBI against the Spartans.
SJSU and LBSU posted a combined 15-12 advantage in hits with a 6-3 lead in extra-base hits.
The Terriers dropped to 1-3 this season in extra-inning contests with a win against Duke (7-4) and loss to current-No. 16 Ohio State (3-2) ... The SJSU game was the first to go more than eight innings.
BU is also now 2-5 this season in one-run decisions with victories over No. 1 Oklahoma and San Diego State.

NEXT UP: LOUISVILLE SLUGGER INVITATIONAL DAY TWO

After spending a day at LBSU, the Terriers will head to co-host Cal State Fullerton for a pair of games on Friday (March 9) starting at 3:30 p.m. PT.
BU will first battle San Diego State in a rematch of last weekend's 1-0 victory at the San Diego Classic.
The Terriers will then meet the defending Big West champion Titans at 6 p.m. PT.