BOSTON – For the first time in program history, the Boston University softball team captured its third-straight conference title as it downed Lehigh, 9-2, in the Patriot League Tournament championship finale Saturday afternoon.

BU (36-2) earned its fourth sweep of the Patriot League Tournament under head coach Ashley Waters, defeating the Mountain Hawks (18-16) in the championship round for the third consecutive time in addition to claiming its 14th overall conference title (5 - PL, 9 - America East). After breaking their own Patriot League record 17-game win streak that was set earlier this season, the Terriers will learn their 11th NCAA regional destination with the selection show slated for Sunday night at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2. 

Tying the program record for wins at 85, three-time PL Pitcher of the Year Ali DuBois (25-0) tallied five strikeouts against eight hits to improve to 8-0 all-time in the PL Tournament. On the offensive front, BU earned a combined nine runs off nine hits and four walks with freshman Lauren Keleher (3B), junior Emily Gant (2B) and senior Jen Horita (2B) all collecting an extra-base hit.

Freshman Lauren Nett went 1-for-2 with two walks, an RBI and two runs scored to claim Tournament MVP honors after batting a combined 4-for-8 with seven RBIs and three runs scored. She was joined on the All-Tournament squad by DuBois, Gant and Horita. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Sophomore Caitlin Coker singled down the right field line and Keleher followed with a liner to right, where Lehigh fumbled the ball as it hopped to the fence, allowing Coker to motor in from first.
• Gant sent a dribbler towards the pitch, who tried to peg Keleher heading home, but she slid in safely to push the early edge to 2-0.
• After DuBois retired Lehigh in order to close the second inning, Gant sparked the offense in top of the third, as she delivered a two-out double down the third base line and scored on Nett's single to center.
• Nett came across on an error before junior Aliyah Huerta-Leipner and Horita ripped back-to-back RBI singles to keep the two-out rally going.
• Sophomore Audrey Sellers singled through the right side, as BU tacked on four total unearned runs to extend the lead to 7-0.
• Trying to mount a rally, the Mountain Hawks loaded the bases in the bottom half with a pair of walks and infield single before DuBois earned a ground out.
• Lehigh finally broke the shutout in the bottom of the fifth with an infield single and one-out two-run homer to center.
• BU responded in the following frame, as Keleher tripled to right before scoring on junior Nicole Amodio's grounder. 
• In the next at-bat, Nett came around on an error to regain the seven-run command, 9-2.
• Down to its final three outs, Lehigh started with a double and infield single before BU turned a double play with a strikeout and caught stealing.
• Senior shortstop Patricia Dun sealed the victory by collecting a sharp grounder up the middle and throwing it to Amodio at first.

GAME NOTES

• Besides setting a new PL record with an 18th straight win, the Terriers tied the 2001 squad's 18-game win streak.
• DuBois is now tied with Cassidi Hardy ('10) for the BU record with 85 career wins.
• BU outscored its opponents, 10-0, in the first inning throughout the tournament, and finished batting .333 while committing just one error for a .988 fielding percentage.
• The Terriers improved to 17-2 all-time in Patriot League Tournament action with a 7-2 mark against Lehigh, including three wins in the final.