Bella Gargicevich-Almeida gets ready to throw the ball to first from second during a practice drill at the BU Softball Field.
Matt Woolverton

Softball to Open Home Slate with Midweek DHs against Merrimack and UMass Lowell

March 21, 2022

GAMES 26-29
Boston University Softball (12-13)
Opponent/Date: Merrimack (6-6)/Tues., March 22, 2 p.m. DH
Opponent/Date: UMass Lowell (12-8)/Wed., March 23, 12 p.m. DH
Venue: BU Softball Field | Boston, Mass.
Twitter: @BUGameDay | @TerrierSoftball

BOSTON – Following a 25-game season-opening road trip, the Boston University softball team will open the home slate with a pair of midweek non-conference doubleheaders against in-state rivals. The Terriers will first host Merrimack on Tuesday (March 22) at 2 p.m. and then welcome UMass Lowell on Wednesday (March 23) at 12 p.m.

TERRIER TIDBITS
  • BU is taking the field at home for the first time since posting an 18-1 record last season that included a three-game sweep in the Patriot League tournament, highlighted by a 9-2 win over Lehigh in the championship final.
  • Owner of an RPI ranking of 57, BU will be seeing its first action since earning a 6-4 win over Sacramento State on March 12 to wrap up the trip to California.
  • The Terriers swept Patriot League weekly honors last Monday with sophomore Kayla Roncin making history as the first Terrier to claim three straight Player of the Week awards.
  • Roncin ranks 74th nationally with a team-high .422 while adding six doubles, three triples, a homer, 16 RBIs and team-high 20 runs scored.
  • Senior Emily Gant is second on the team at .362, while classmate Nicole Amodio (.273 avg.) owns six homers and team-high 21 RBIs.
  • A two-time PL Pitcher of the Week this season, junior Allison Boaz (7-4, 2.20 ERA) is holding batters to .274 with 36 strikeouts in 73.1 innings of work while adding two saves. Classmate Lizzy Avery (5-8, 3.50 ERA) has posted 70 strikeouts in 76.0 innings.
  • Overall, BU is batting .265 with opponents hitting .278 and earning a 52-39 advantage in extra-base hits.
SCOUTING MERRIMACK (6-6)
Tuesday, 2 p.m. DH
  • The Warriors are 6-6 following Monday afternoon's 5-4 win vs. Mount St. Mary's after going 6-18 last spring. They own two one-run wins against Hartford and are 0-2 against the Patriot League with 3-2 loss vs. Holy Cross and 6-4 defeat to Lafayette.
  • Jenna Wilke is batting a team-high .457 with four doubles and eight RBIs. Ellen Hubbard (.308 avg.) also owns eight RBIs alongside three doubles, while Courtney Lanpher (.278 avg.) has 11 runs scored.
  • Madie Fornwalt (3-2, 3.42 ERA) is holding opponents to .235 batting average, while Brya Michitson (3-1, 3.75 ERA) has 14 strikeouts in 28.0 innings of work with a 3-0 win over Siena.
  • Overall, Merrimack is batting .255 while holding opponents to .243, though opposing teams own a 62-32 advantage in walks earned.
  • Terrier alum and former two-time team captain Elaine Schwager (Wheelock'95) is in her eighth straight season and 13 overall as head coach at Merrimack. She owns 398 career victories with previous stints at Suffolk and Regis College.
  • BU is 7-3 all-time after sweeping a pair of doubleheaders at Merrimack last season in the first meetings between the two teams since 1991. The Terriers outscored the Warriors, 31-4 with Boaz collecting a five-inning no-hitter.  
SCOUTING UMASS LOWELL (12-8)
Wednesday, 12 p.m. DH
  • The River Hawks are 12-8 this season after posting a 13-18 record last spring. They opened the year with a 6-2 win over Seton Hal and pair of victories against St. John's by a combined score of 9-2. UML most recently went 1-3 at the Penn State Invitational with 4-2 win vs. Rider and pair of losses to Cornell (8-5, 3-2) alongside 12-2 defeat to Penn State.
  • Becca Vaillancourt is batting a team-high .361 with two homers and eight RBIs. Cayla Tulley (.296 avg.) has delivered the power so far with five homers and 19 RBIs with Brenna Davenport (.286) delivering three homers and seven RBIs.
  • Ryley White (8-1, 1.80 ERA) has claimed 59 strikeouts in 54.1 innings of work while holding opponents to .206. Jen Slanovec (2-1, 4.07 ERA) has recorded 16 strikeouts in 32.2 innings. Both she and Chelsea Runyon (2-4, 4.85 ERA) own a save.
  • Overall, UML is batting .271 while holding opponents to .284 with a 17-13 advantage in homers and 22-13 lead in stolen bases.
  • The Terriers are 15-2 all-time after earning a 5-0 win at UML last season. In 2019, BU pulled out a pair of one-run decisions, including a 3-2 walk-off victory in the ninth following an earlier 4-3 win.
UP NEXT
  • The three-time defending Patriot League regular season and tournament champ Terriers will open conference play at Lafayette with three-game series starting Saturday (March 26) at 12 p.m.
  • BU won all four meetings last season at home by a combined score of 46-2.
Print Friendly Version