TAMPA, Fla. – Concluding the USF-Rawlings Invitational against a pair of 2022 NCAA regional participants, the Boston University softball team earned a run-rule victory over host South Florida before falling to No. 4 Florida on Friday night.
Freshman
Kasey Ricard (1-0) pitched a three-hit shutout with the help of eight strikeouts in her first career start to help the Terriers (3-1) roll past the Bulls (1-2), 8-0, in six innings. Coming off an appearance in the Women's College World Series, the Gators (1-0) broke a 1-1 deadlock in the second with seven runs, including four unearned, to pull away, 11-2 (5).
Reigning Patriot League Player of the Year and junior
Kayla Roncin led the offensive explosion in the first game with three hits, including a solo homer, while 2021 PL Player of the Year and senior
Caitlin Coker delivered a bases-clearing triple.
GAME 1: BU - 8, South Florida - 0 (6 inn.)
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Junior Lauren Keleher and Roncin led off the game with back-to-back singles before Lehigh transfer Gabriella Nori (0-1) got out of the jam with two strikeouts and a groundout.
- Ricard matched Nori's efforts with two strikeouts in the bottom half.
- With one out in the top of the third, Roncin took the lead for good by blasting a 1-0 pitch to left.
- BU loaded the bases in the fourth with junior Lauren Nett's single, freshman Brooke Deppiesse's double and sophomore Tyesha Williams' walk.
- With two outs, Keleher brought in a run on a hit-by-pitch and took second on Roncin's RBI single before Coker extended the lead to 6-0.
- BU added two more runs in the sixth when senior Audrey Sellers (single) and Coker (hit-by-pitch) scored on graduate student Emily Gant's RBI single that was thrown away.
- USF tried to extend the game on a lead-off single in the bottom half before Sellers threw the runner out.
- Ricard sealed the victory with a fly out and infield pop up.
GAME 2: #4/5 Florida - 11, BU - 2 (5 inn.)
HOW IT HAPPENED
- A two-time USA Softball Player of the Year Top 50 "Watch List" member, Charla Echols hit a two-out RBI double to put the Gators on the scoreboard first against senior Allison Boaz (1-1).
- Gant started the second with a single and eventually scored thanks to a throwing error and then Nett's RBI grounder.
- The Gators loaded the bases with one out in the bottom half before adding a two-RBI single.
- Florida added a run on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch from senior Lizzy Avery and added four more runs with the help of a dropped ball in the outfield and two-RBI single to move ahead, 8-1.
- Entering in relief, Ricard pitched a scoreless third but ran into trouble in the fourth by allowing a solo homer and two-run blast.
- Junior Kate Pryor scored BU's second run by doubling to right in the top of the fifth and reaching home on Keleher's RBI single.
- The Gators halted the rally with a fly out.
DOUBLEHEADER NOTES
- Roncin's homer marked the second of the season for the Terriers.
- BU improved to 6-7 all-time against South Florida with its first win since 2012 (5-3) and first road victory since 2007 (3-1). The other shutout victory occurred in 1999 (1-0).
- The Gators are now 3-1 against BU in their first meeting since Florida pulled out a 3-0 home win in the 2019 NCAA regional opener.
UP NEXT
- BU will remain on the road and head to the Charleston Invitational in South Carolina on Feb. 17-19.
- The Terriers will first face Tennessee Tech at 10 a.m. before playing both host Charleston and Canisius two times apiece during the three-day event.