Softball Rolls Past Sam Houston State, Holds Off Stetson in DH Sweep

Friday, February 7

DeLand, FL

12 PM

Boston University

1-0

Sam Houston State

1-1

Boston University

Sam Houston State

Photo by: Steve Simoneau

Softball Rolls Past Sam Houston State, Holds Off Stetson in DH Sweep

February 7, 2020 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 SHSU Box (W, 9-3)Stetson Box (W, 2-0)Tournament Central

DELAND, Fla. – After posting a 9-3 victory against defending Southland Conference champion Sam Houston State, the two-time defending Patriot League champion Boston University softball team used a two-run blast from sophomore Aliyah Huerta-Leipner to defeat Stetson, 2-0, on Friday afternoon at the Stetson Lead-Off Classic.

Opening a season with a doubleheader sweep for the first time since 2007, the Terriers (2-0) handed both the Bearkats (1-1) and Hatters (0-1) their first losses of the year. Two-time Patriot League Pitcher of the Year Ali DuBois (2-0) pitched the first six innings against SHSU and then followed up with five shutout innings of relief against Stetson. posting five combined strikeouts against 13 hits allowed. The Hatters loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh with zero outs but were unable to break through BU's defense to finish the game with 14 runners left on base.

At the plate, sophomore Emily Gant recorded a team-high four hits while adding two runs scored. After totaling 12 RBIs last year, junior Marina Sylvestri recorded four alone in BU's matchup against SHSU. Huerta-Leipner earned two hits, two walks and two runs in the first contest before hitting the go-ahead two-out, two-run homer in the fifth inning of game two against Stetson.

GAME 1: BU 9, Sam Houston State 3

HOW IT HAPPENED

Looking to start the season on the right foot, Huerta-Leipner led off the game with a single before advancing to third on walks by freshman Caitlin Coker and junior Patricia Dun.
Sylvestri delivered a two-RBI single up the middle, and with the bases loaded, sophomore Nicole Amodio was hit by a pitch for the 3-0 advantage.
Sylvestri hit another RBI single in the second to plate Gant from second to extend the lead to 4-0.
The Bearkats put two in scoring position in the bottom half with a walk, single and ground out before earning an RBI single that would have plated another run if not for Huerta-Leipner throwing the advancing runner out at home in time.
Amodio kept the pressure on SHSU by earning a two-out walk, advancing to third on freshman Audrey Sellers' single and then scoring on Huerta-Leipner's RBI single.
BU added more distance in the fourth with three runs off two hits, a sac fly from junior Maya Kipfmiller and a stolen base by junior Jen Horita.
SHSU earned a run in the fifth (unearned) and sixth against DuBois, but the Terriers were able to push the lead to 9-3 in the seventh on Huerta-Leipner's walk, Gant's double and Dun's RBI single.
Freshman Lizzy Avery appeared in the circle in the final inning, recording two strikeouts against a walk and infield single to help seal the victory.

GAME 2: BU 2, Stetson 0

HOW IT HAPPENED

Coker made hard contact on a liner at the third baseman that allowed her to reach second in the top of the first, but Stetson's freshman pitcher Chloe Temples got out of the threat with a strikeout and ground out.
Avery made the start for BU and got into trouble in both innings with three walks and two singles allowed, but she ended each one with a strikeout to keep the game scoreless.
The Hatters opened the third with two more singles before DuBois entered in relief to get a foul out and pair of ground outs to end the threat.
Gant started the fourth with an infield single but was stranded at second following a sac bunt and two infield pop ups.
After missing most of last season to injury, sophomore Bella Gargicevich-Almeida lofted a ball that was misplayed in the outfield with two outs in the fifth.
BU took advantage of the error, as Huerta-Leipner delivered a two-run blast on a 2-1 pitch to right to plate freshman pinch-runner Allison Boaz.
The Hatters had four combined runners in scoring position over the final three innings, but DuBois was able to preserve the shutout with the help of the defense.
In the bottom of the seventh, DuBois allowed a single and walk before mishandling a sac bunt to load the bases with zero outs.
Never losing her composure, DuBois followed with a strikeout, infield pop up and ground out to third, as the Terriers claimed the shutout victory in hostile territory.

DOUBLEHEADER NOTES

Sylvestri's four RBIs against SHSU were a personal best, topping the previous high of two set multiple times.
Gant's three hits against the Bearkats tied her career high set in the PL title win against Lehigh.
All four freshmen appeared on Friday with Sellers starting both games behind home plate following the graduation of two-time PL Player of the Year Alex Heinen.
Avery recorded two strikeouts in each of her first three innings of work.
Dun made her first appearance in an NCAA Division I game after helping LIU Post reach the Division II title game back in May.
BU is now 2-1 all-time vs. Sam Houston State following a split in 2003 and 1-1 vs. Stetson after avenging a 10-2 loss in 2006 in DeLand.

NEXT UP: GEORGE MASON & STETSON

BU will resume the Stetson Lead-Off Classic against the Patriots on Saturday with a 10 a.m. first pitch.
The Terriers are 3-0 all-time against George Mason, last winning in 2008.
BU will face the host Hatters one more time at 3 p.m.