ATHENS, Ga. – Featuring clutch hitting at the top of the lineup and strong pitching, the Boston University softball team opened the Red & Black Showcase with a pair of Power Five wins against Purdue (5-2) and No. 13/18 Georgia (6-1) on Friday night at the Bulldogs' Jack Turner Softball Stadium.

With their first win over the SEC since 2009 and first victory against the Big 10 since 2018, the Terriers (2-3) defeated two Power Five schools on the same day for the first time in program history on what happened to be seventh-year head coach Ashley Waters' birthday. The upset win over 2021 Women's College World Series participant Georgia also marked BU's first against a ranked team since a 4-3 stunner against then-No. 1 and two-time defending national champion Oklahoma in 2018 at a tournament hosted by New Mexico State. 

The Boilermakers (5-2) and Bulldogs (6-2) entered their respective matchups against the Terriers with a combined record of 11-2 but were unable to contain the top of BU's lineup. Junior Caitlin Coker, graduate student Jen Horita and sophomore Kayla Roncin batted a combined 13-of-23 (.565) with nine extra-base hits, eight runs scored and six RBIs. Senior Nicole Amodio delivered a critical two-out, three-run blast in the third inning of the Georgia game as well. 

In the circle, junior Lizzy Avery (1-2) started both contests and pitched 4.1 no-hit innings against Purdue before ending the day with seven strikeouts against six hits and three runs allowed. Classmate Allison Boaz (1-1, SV) pitched the last two innings of the first contest for her first career save and then held Georgia to just three hits with three strikeouts in 3.2 scoreless innings of work for the win.

GAME 1: BU 5, Purdue 2

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Horita opened with a one-out double and scored the go-ahead run on Roncin's triple to left center.
• Kendall Klochack (1-1) kept Roncin at third with a strikeout and ground out.
• Junior Audrey Sellers followed sophomore Lauren Keleher's walk and senior Emily Gant's infield single with a RBI single to left in the top of the second, prompting a pitching change.
• Coker added a third run by doubling to left center with two outs, swiping third and scoring on Horita's RBI single up the middle.
• Held hitless through 4.1 innings, Purdue loaded the bases with a pair of one-out singles and two-out walk before Avery collected a grounder for the final out at first.
• Coker homered to right to extend the lead to 4-0 in the top of the sixth.
• Avery ran into trouble with a pair of walks during the bottom half, leading to Boaz entering the game.
• Purdue followed up with back-to-back RBI singles and a walk, but Boaz then shut down the Boilermakers with a swinging strikeout and ground out.
• BU added a crucial insurance run in the seventh after graduate student Marina Sylvestri singled to center to set up freshman pinch runner Tyesha Williams' stolen base and run scored off Keleher's RBI double.
• Purdue tried to mount one more rally in the last inning with a single and one-out double, but again, Boaz closed the door with a fly out and ground out to secure the save.

GAME 2: BU 6, #13/18 Georgia 1

HOW IT HAPPENED

• For the second consecutive game, Roncin earned an RBI triple in the first, this time plating Coker, who scored following a single to left.
• Georgia led off with a single but stranded runner at second on a fly out and swinging strikeout against Avery.
• The Bulldogs earned a double in the second and advanced the runner to third on a passed ball before Avery earned a swinging strikeout and infield pop up.
• Amodio blew open the door in the third by blasting a 2-2 pitch from Lauren Mathis (2-1) with two outs down the left field line to plate Horita (bunt single) and Roncin (double) for a 4-0 lead.
• Georgia got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth on a single and one-out RBI double to left center.
• Boaz entered the circle in relief and earned a swinging strikeout with a line out.
• Coker extended the lead to 5-1 in the top of the fifth by hitting a lead-off double, taking third on Horita's grounder and scoring on Roncin's RBI grounder to short.
• The Bulldogs' last gasp came in the sixth, as they earned a double, single and two-out walk before flying out to right.
• Coker added one more run by earning a walk and scoring on Horita's double to right.
• Boaz earned a swinging strikeout to seal the upset victory. 

UP NEXT

• The Terriers will resume the Red & Black Showcase on Saturday (Feb. 19) with back-to-back games against 2021 CAA runner-up Delaware (10:30 a.m.) and then the Bulldogs in a rematch at 1 p.m.
• BU will face the Blue Hens for the first time since Delaware left the America East in the summer of 2001.