Softball Bats Stymied in Defeat to UCF and Iowa State

Friday, March 11

Long Beach, CA

12 PM ET

Boston University

11-11

UCF

18-7

Boston University

UCF

Lauren Keleher gets ready to throw a ball in the outfield toward the infield.

Photo by: Sam Roberts / Freeze Frame

Softball Bats Stymied in Defeat to UCF and Iowa State

March 11, 2022 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 UCF Box (L, 6-2)Iowa State Box (L, 6-0)

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Continuing the Louisville Slugger Invitational with a doubleheader against a pair of 2021 NCAA regional finalists, the Boston University softball team fell to both Central Florida and Iowa State on Friday afternoon at the LBSU Softball Complex.

The Terriers (11-12) only faced a combined 12-10 deficit in hits but were undone by defensive miscues and inability to string along their hits, as their six-game win streak came to an end. Ranked as high as No. 24 nationally this season and still receiving votes, UCF (18-7) overcame an early two-run deficit with four runs in the second and added two insurance runs in the fifth for the 6-2 victory, while the Cyclones (13-7) struck early with three runs en route to a 6-0 win.

Sophomore and two-time reigning Patriot League Player of the Week Kayla Roncin went 3-for-6 in the doubleheader with an RBI single and run scored on classmate Lauren Keleher's RBI single. Graduate student Jen Horita was the other Terrier to record a hit in both contests. Pitching the distance in the first game, junior Lizzy Avery (5-7) collected seven strikeouts and then followed up with five more strikeouts in 3.2 innings of relief for classmate Allison Boaz (4-6).

GAME 1: UCF 6, Boston University 2

HOW IT HAPPENED

Horita reached base on a fielding error and moved to second on junior Caitlin Coker's walk before scoring on Roncin's single up the middle.
UCF managed to throw Coker out as she tried to reach third on the throw home, but BU managed to add a second run on Keleher's RBI single to center.
The Knights loaded the bases by hitting senior Aliyah Huerta-Leipner, prompting them to bring in ace Gianna Mancha (7-2). who prevented further damage with the first of five strikeouts.
Avery collected two strikeouts of her own in the bottom half to maintain the 2-0 lead entering the second.
UCF broke the game open with four runs off three hits, a walk, wild pitch and throwing error.
Trying to mount a rally, Coker hit a bunt single in the top of the fifth and was joined by senior Nicole Amodio on base after she was hit by a pitch, but Mancha earned another strikeout to end the threat.
UCF then added two more runs with the help of a bases loaded walk and passed ball.

GAME 2: Iowa State 6, BU 0

HOW IT HAPPENED

ISU joined UCF in opening the game with a fielding error but turned a double play to keep BU from putting a runner in scoring position.
The Cyclones started with a single and later added an RBI double against Boaz before loading the bases on a wild pitch that prompted a swinging strikeout.
ISU drew a two-out RBI bases-loaded walk and caught the Terriers out of position to score a second run with a stolen base for the 3-0 advantage.
BU faced a 4-0 deficit following a triple and RBI ground out in the second.
The Cyclones kept the pressure on BU with a single and double against Boaz before hitting a two-RBI single against Avery, who didn't allow another hit the rest of the game.
Roncin started the fourth with a single and stolen base, but Karli Charles (4-1) earned a pair of strikeouts and fly out to keep BU off the scoreboard.
The Terriers threatened one more time in the fifth on singles from sophomore Lauren Nett and Horita before Charles earned another ground out to help secure the shutout.

UP NEXT

BU will conclude the 25-game season-opening road trip with a doubleheader against Nebraska and Sacramento State on Saturday (March 12).
First pitch is set for 12 p.m. ET with the Terriers facing the Huskers for the first time in program history.