NORMAN, Okla. – Highlighted by sophomore Kasey Ricard's strong pitching performance and a pair of four-run innings, the No. 21/22 nationally-ranked Boston University softball team eliminated Horizon League champion Cleveland State, 8-0 (5), on Saturday afternoon at the Norman Regional hosted by three-time defending national champion Oklahoma.

With their 14th run-rule win, the Terriers (53-5-1) have broken last year's program and Patriot League record in victories, as the Vikings (22-26) had their season ended.

Ricard (28-4) finished with four strikeouts against three hits for her NCAA-leading 16th shutout. The top three batters in the lineup in senior Lauren Keleher, senior Kayla Roncin and graduate student Caitlin Coker went a combined 5-for-9 with four RBIs and six runs scored to lead the offense. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Vikings threatened early in the opening frame with back-to-back two-out bloop singles to the outfield, but Ricard earned a foul out to first to keep two runners on base.
• After senior Lauren Nett earned BU's first hit in the second, the Terriers broke open the game in the third with four runs off four hits.
• Freshman Kylie Doherty started off with a lead-off single down the right field line and eventually scored on Roncin's RBI double.
• Coker followed with a two-RBI single to plate Roncin and Keleher (single).
• After sophomore Brooke Deppiesse drew a walk and advanced an extra base with Coker on a wild pitch, graduate student Lizzy Avery lofted an RBI sac fly to right for the 4-0 advantage.
• Ricard retired eight straight Vikings before allowing a single up the middle, but Roncin was able to turn a double play by catching a liner at short and throwing a bullet in time to first.
• The Terriers put the game away in the bottom of the fifth with four runs off four hits and a walk-off passed ball.
• Keleher started off with a double and later scored on Coker's RBI grounder.
• Avery and Nett later added one-out singles RBI singles to grab a commanding 7-0 lead.
• With two outs and runners at the corners, freshman pinch-runner Kyomi Apalit rushed home on a passed ball to seal the Terriers' second-ever NCAA run-rule victory after eliminating 2023 MEAC champion NC Central in similar fashion.

UP NEXT

• BU will next face Oregon at approximately 8:25 p.m. ET in a rematch of Friday's 8-0 (5) loss with the victor advancing to Sunday's Regional Final against the Sooners.
• Making their 13th overall NCAA appearance, the Terriers will try to advance to Sunday's action for the third time in program history after accomplishing the feat in 1996 and 2009.