Softball Opens San Diego Classic with Win over Montana, Loss to LBSU

Friday, March 3

San Diego, CA

12 PM ET

Boston University

12-3

Montana @ SDSU

0-16

Montana

Boston Univ.

Lauren Keleher makes contact with a pitch batting left handed.

Photo by: Strauss Studios

Softball Opens San Diego Classic with Win over Montana, Loss to LBSU

March 3, 2023 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Montana Box (W, 9-1 / 5 inn.)LBSU Box (L, 5-1)San Diego Classic Central

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The Boston University softball team opened the San Diego Classic with a doubleheader split, first posting a 9-1 run-rule victory over Montana and then dropping a 5-1 decision to Long Beach State, on Friday afternoon at San Diego State.

The Terriers (12-4) had seven hits apiece against both the Grizzlies (0-16) and LBSU (6-10) but only earned three walks in the second game after totaling eight during the first. The Beach also threw out two runners trying to reach home to help snap BU's five-game win streak.

Juniors Lauren Keleher and Kayla Roncin tallied three hits apiece in the DH to lead the offense. Keleher also scored four runs and added two RBIs alongside senior Caitlin Coker and sophomore Tyesha Williams. Freshman Brooke Deppiesse earned a team-high three RBIs in the first contest, as BU claimed its seventh run-rule win of the season.

In the circle, four pitchers saw action on the day with senior Allison Boaz (6-2) having the most success, allowing just one unearned run in 5.1 combined innings of work off two hits with the help of two strikeouts.

GAME 1: BU - 9, Montana - 1 (5 inn.)

HOW IT HAPPENED

With two outs in the top of the first, Montana had two runners on base via walk and error before senior Lizzy Avery got out a ground out to second.
Keleher started off with a triple and scored in the bottom half on Roncin's RBI single through the left side.
BU loaded the bases on back-to-back two-out walks before fouling out.
The Grizzlies threatened in the next inning with three straight singles to prompt Boaz's entrance into the circle but only scored one run off an RBI ground out.
BU pulled away in the bottom half with five runs off two hits thanks to four walks, as both Keleher and Williams delivered two-run doubles with Deppiessee adding an RBI sac fly for the 6-1 advantage.
With two outs in the third, the Terriers scored three runs thanks to Coker's RBI single and Deppiesse's two-RBI double to left center.
Freshman Haley Ganino saw her first action in the circle for the Terriers and earned three ground outs to help seal the run-rule win.

Game 2: Long Beach State - 5, BU - 1

HOW IT HAPPENED

For the second time, Keleher led off with an extra base hit and eventually scored following Roncin's double and Coker's RBI single.
LBSU prevented further damage by throwing Roncin out, as she tried to take home on a double steal attempt, and also threw out Coker, as she tried to score from second on graduate student Emily Gant's single through the right side.
The Terriers threatened again in the second, as Williams earned a lead-off walk and took second on graduate student Nicole Amodio's single up the middle.
BU though stranded both on base, as it was unable to get the ball out of the infield.
LBSU then grabbed the lead for good in the bottom of the second by earning a lead-off walk, one-out double, RBI sac fly and two-run homer to left center against freshman Kasey Ricard.
LBSU extended the lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the fourth by taking advantage of a fielding error with a two-out RBI single up the middle against Boaz.
One more run came via lead-off homer against Avery in the fifth.
The Terriers tried to mount a rally in the top of the seventh with a one-out walk and two-out single, but LBSU sealed the win with a ground out.