The 2020 Boston University softball team poses for a group photo in front of the Boston University team logo in front of the Case Center.

Softball to Open 33rd Season at Stetson Lead-Off Classic

February 6, 2020

STETSON LEAD-OFF CLASSIC (GAMES 1-5) INFORMATION
Teams: BU, Sam Houston State, George Mason, Stetson
Dates: Friday, Feb. 7-Sunday, Feb. 9
Venue: DeLand, Fla. | Patricia Wilson Field
Twitter: @BUGameDay | @TerrierSoftball

BOSTON – Selected to three-peat as Patriot League tournament champions, the Boston University softball team will open the 2020 campaign against three opponents during the three-day Stetson Lead-Off Classic starting Friday.

The Terriers will start off with defending Southland Conference champion Sam Houston State in the first of two meetings at 12 p.m. and then face off against the host Hatters at 3 p.m. They will follow up with a Saturday morning (10 a.m.) matchup against George Mason and then a rematch with Stetson at 3 p.m. Sam Houston State will end the event on Sunday at 10 a.m.

TERRIER TIDBITS
  • Ashley Waters returns for her fifth year at the helm, having led BU to three NCAA regional appearances and four consecutive PL championship round appearances ... The Terriers went 37-20 last season with a perfect 18-0 home record and 15-2 conference mark.
  • BU batted .270 while holding opponents to .219 ... The Terriers finished ahead in homers, 31-16, and triples, 10-3, with a 53-50 edge in doubles.
  • The Terriers had a program-record 10 All-Conference honorees last season with four graduating, including two-time PL Player of the Year Alex Heinen (.328 avg., 10 HRs, 38 RBIs).
  • Named to the 2020 All-PL Preseason Team, sophomore Aliyah Huerta-Leipner is the top-returning hitter at .291 with 11 doubles, seven homers, 27 RBIs and 38 runs scored.
  • Junior Marina Sylvestri (.275 avg., 12 RBIs) and sophomore Nicole Amodio (.242 avg., 4 HRs, 26 RBIs) both earned preseason accolades ... Junior Jen Horita (.270 avg., 17 runs) joined them in receiving 2019 All-PL honors.
  • BU returns all five pitchers who made at least one appearance last season, including two-time PL Pitcher of the Year Ali DuBois ... Named to the USA Softball College Player of the Year Top-50 Watch List, she went 23-11 last season with a 1.37 ERA while holding opponents to .204 and posting 201 strikeouts in 214.0 innings.
  • A fellow All-PL honoree, sophomore Emily Gant (13-7, 1.70 ERA) recorded 149 strikeouts in 136.0 innings while also contributing six RBIs and 15 runs scored on the offensive front as an outfielder.
  • BU has five new faces, including junior infielder Patricia Dun, who batted .276 with 11 doubles and 34 RBIs as a member of the LIU Post squad that reached the 2019 NCAA Division II national championship game.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS

Sam Houston State (Friday, 12:00 p.m. | Sunday, 10:00 a.m.)
  • The Bearkats went 35-23 last season with a 22-5 conference record en route to their first NCAA tournament since 2007 as the Southland Conference representative. 
  • SHSU was selected to finish second in the Southland's preseason poll while having three members earn All-Preseason honors.
  • Tiffany Thompson batted .308 with seven homers and 29 RBIs last season, while Brooke Malia (.269 avg.) contributed 12 home runs and 39 RBIs.
  • SHSU graduated the Southland Conference Pitcher of the Year but have both Regan Dunn (9-5, 2.22 ERA) and Karina Sanchez (2-6, 3.24 ERA) returning in the circle.
  • Overall, the Bearkats batted .251 while holding opponents to .227 last season with an impressive .972 fielding percentage. 
  • The Stetson Lead-Off Classic will mark the first-ever matchup between SHSU and BU.
Stetson (Friday, 3:00 p.m. | Saturday, 3:00 p.m.)
  • The Hatters went 16-31 last season with a 5-15 record in the Atlantic Sun.
  • Elizabeth Jackson is the top returning hitter at .338 with 12 RBIs and 16 stolen bases, behind Riley Russell's (.264 avg.) 27 swiped bags.
  • Lizzie Shubert (.185 avg.) is the top returning power hitter with three homers and 16 RBIs.
  • Stetson graduated two pitchers from last season and will look to Jaime Tino (3-12, 4.91 ERA) for experience in the circle.
  • Overall, the Hatters batted .242 while holding opponents to .304 while posting a 77-62 advantage in stolen bases.
  • Stetson won the lone meeting between the two programs in 2006 at its own tournament, 10-2. 
George Mason (Saturday, 10:00 a.m.)
  • GMU went 22-26 last season with a 10-12 Atlantic 10 conference record.
  • 2019 Second Team All-Conference Adriana Erickson batted .308 with five homers, 14 doubles and 30 RBIs, while Saige Cisler hit .333 with four RBIs and six stolen bases in just 25 appearances.
  • Bekah Ansbro (8-11, 2.42 ERA) tallied 100 strikeouts in 113.0 innings while holding opponents to .226 ... Marina Vitalich (10-5, 2.83 ERA) posted 103 strikeouts in 10.61 innings while holding opponents to .263.
  • The Patriots batted .242 and held opponents to .263 ... Teams finished with a 73-30 advantage in stolen bases.
  • BU is 3-0 all-time in the series, last earning a 5-4 victory in 2008 in Tampa, Florida.
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