BOSTON - Senior Madi Killebrew drove a three-run homer down the left field line as part of an explosive eight-run sixth inning to propel the top-seeded Boston University softball team to its second consecutive Patriot League title with a 14-7 victory over No. 3 Lehigh on Saturday afternoon at the BU Softball Field.
 
Killebrew's blast erased a one-run deficit and helped secure the Terriers' fourth conference crown in six seasons in the Patriot League. BU (37-18) has now won seven of the last eight meetings against Lehigh (27-28), including the title game in both 2019 and 2018, after dropping a pair of heart-breaking one-run decisions in the 2017 PL championship series.
 
The 2018 PL Tournament MVP Killebrew finished the day 2-for-4 with four RBIs. 2019 Patriot League Tournament MVP and senior Alex Heinen also had a monster day at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a two-run blast in the fourth inning. The two-time PL Player of the Year finished the tournament with six hits and four RBIs. Freshman AJ Huerta-Leipner was 3-for-5 with an RBI. Heinen, Huerta-Leipner and Killebrew were three of the five Terriers to record at least two hits on Saturday.
 
One of those Terriers, freshman Emily Gant, not only went 3-for-3 with two RBIs but struck out four Mountain Hawks in 3.2 innings of work in relief. Sophomore and two-time PL Pitcher of the Year Ali DuBois, who started all three postseason games and allowed a combined two earned runs over 17.1 innings, quickly collected three outs to close out the contest.

Gant, Heinen, Killebrew and DuBois all earned Patriot League All-Tournament Team accolades. 

THE TURNING POINT

• Facing a 7-6 deficit in the bottom of the sixth with one out, Huerta-Leipner singled through the right side and was replaced at first on a fielder's choice.
• Trying to avoid giving up a third homer to Heinen in two games, the Mountain Hawks intentionally walked her to put two on base.
• Facing a 1-1 pitch, Killebrew made Lehigh pay by homering down the left field line to boost her RBI total to 14 combined in the last six PL tournament games.
• Senior Alexa Ponce and Sylvestri kept the rally going with back-to-back singles.
• Gant added her second RBI of the contest to extend the lead to 10-7 before Amodio knocked in two more runs with a single in her second at-bat of the frame.
• Huerta-Leipner continued the offensive onslaught with an RBI single, her third hit of the day, and then helped Amodio score from third by getting into a rundown between first and second.

THE SETUP

• A two-out error extended the top of the second inning and Lehigh took advantage, as Reva Alderman laced a bases-loaded single through the left side to give the Mountain Hawks a 2-0 lead.
• BU responded with some brilliant base running in the bottom half of the frame to get within a run.
• With Killebrew on third and sophomore Marina Sylvestri on first, Sylvestri took off for second and got into a rundown, which allowed Killebrew to sprint home. The throw to the plate was on time, but Killebrew smartly avoided the tag and snuck her hand on the plate to get BU on the board.
• The Terriers continued to press with a Gant single and had runners at second and third with one out, but Lehigh escaped the jam without any further damage.
• After DuBois allowed a one-out single and walk, Lehigh added another run in the third with a two-out single against Gant to take a 3-1 lead.
• The Terriers responded in a big way in the bottom of the third, beginning with singles by senior Emily Morrow and Heinen.
• Killebrew drove in Morrow on a fielder's choice to cut the deficit to 3-2.
• After a two-out walk put runners on first and second, a Lehigh error on a ground ball to second allowed junior pinch runner Kali Magane to cross the plate and even the score at 3-3.
• Gant then singled to right center to knock in another run and give the Terriers their first lead of the contest at 4-3.
• Heinen blasted a two-run homer over the left field fence in the bottom of the fourth to extend the Terriers' lead to 6-3.
• The Mountain Hawks got a run back in the fifth thanks to a double and BU error before recapturing the lead thanks to a three-run homer in the top of the sixth by All-PL First Team honoree Jaelynn Chesson.
• BU sent 11 batters to the plate in that sensational sixth inning that led to the come-from-behind victory.

GAME NOTES

• This is the Terriers' 13th conference title overall and the seventh conference championship in 11 years. BU has now won three titles at home, including in 2012 and 2018.
• The Terriers have captured both a regular season and tournament crown in the same season seven times (1993, 2002, 03, 2010, 12, 18 and 19). 
• BU repeated as conference champions for the fifth time in program history after accomplishing the feat in 1992-93 (America East), 1996-97 (America East), 2002-03 (America East) and 2009-10 (America East). Coincidentally, 2009 was the last time the Terriers won a title in an odd-numbered year.  
• Heinen was 6-for-9 in the tournament with two doubles, two homers and four RBIs.
• BU recorded a season-high 16 hits to top the previous high of 15 set in an 11-6 come-from-behind win over Army West Point back on Senior Day.
• BU's 14 runs matched the total scored in a 14-1(5) win at Lafayette.

NEXT UP: NCAA REGIONALS

• The Terriers will find out their NCAA Regional destination on Sunday, May 12, at 9 p.m. on ESPN2.