Softball Triumphs Over No. 20/23 Duke, 9-8, in Extra Innings

Wednesday, February 25

Durham, NC

4 PM

Boston University

6-9

Duke

9-9

Boston University

Duke

Haley Ganino is in the middle of her pitching motion toward home plate

Photo by: Erin Bush

Softball Triumphs Over No. 20/23 Duke, 9-8, in Extra Innings

February 25, 2026 | Softball

Box Score Coach Waters-Doherty-Ganino Postgame

DURHAM, N.C. – Highlighted by six extra-base hits and senior Haley Ganino's strong pitching performance in relief, the Boston University softball team outlasted No. 20/23 Duke, 9-8, in 10 innings Wednesday evening at the Smith Family Stadium.

Carrying momentum from Sunday's program record-tying 21-hit performance against Marshall, the Terriers (5-9) joined Oregon as the only teams to total at least 14 against the Blue Devils (9-9). Senior Megan Coyle led the offense collecting four hits with a pair of doubles, while junior Kylie Doherty delivered a two-run HR and what proved to be the game-winning RBI triple in the top of the 10th inning after going yard in the 2-1 win over Duke back on Feb. 4.

Senior Haley Ganino (2-1) made the Terrier bats' late-game heroics possible by pitching 4.1 scoreless innings with only four hits and one walk allowed. Junior Kyomi Apalit sent the contest to the eighth inning with her first homer of the season, and freshman Irys Kline added a double.

HOW IT HAPPENED

After a scoreless first inning, Duke started the bottom of the second with a lead-off single and two-run homer against senior Kasey Ricard.
The Terriers quickly responded in the next half inning with Coyle delivering a two-out RBI double and scoring on Doherty's two-run homer for the 3-2 advantage.
Duke needed little time to retake the lead, as the Blue Devils bounced back with four runs off four hits, including a pair of two-run homers against Ricard.
Sophomore Danika Nell then entered in relief and retired eight straight Duke batters to help keep the Blue Devils' offense at six runs.
BU loaded the bases in the top of the fifth on sophomore Kieren McHugh's single to right following a walk and infield grounder to set up Apalit's RBI sac fly.
After freshman Madolyn Coupal started the sixth with a walk and scored on Kline's RBI double to right center, Deppiesse tied the game on an RBI single and scored on Coyle's RBI single up the middle for the 7-6 lead.
Nell added a strikeout and line out to third to begin the bottom half, but Duke switched the momentum by recording three straight singles and then an RBI double to grab its final lead of the game, 8-7.
Ganino entered the contest in relief and earned an infield pop up, as Duke stranded two on base.
After Apalit blasted the first pitch of the seventh to center to tie the game, the Blue Devils earned back-to-back one-out singles in the bottom half but stranded two on base again on a fly out and ground out.
The Terriers had a great opportunity in the eighth by earning two singles and a walk with zero outs, but Duke claimed two ground outs along with a foul out to keep the contest tied.
Ganino quickly retired the side the during the bottom half but then ran into trouble in the ninth on a one-out double and walk that ended with the Blue Devils lifting the ball to the outfield for a pair of outs.
In the 10th, Coyle doubled a second time to left center, and freshman pinch runner Addison Michel scored on Doherty's RBI triple to right center.
Duke duplicated BU's efforts with a one-out double and advanced the runner to third on a two-out wild pitch, but Ganino then earned a ground out to second to seal the victory.

GAME NOTES

Apalit became the fifth Terrier to earn a home run this season after she totaled three last year.
With five homers through 14 contests, Doherty owns 25 total, which are tied-for-eighth all-time in the PL record book and fifth alone in the BU record book.
The Terriers improved to 3-1 all-time against Duke with a 1-1 mark in Durham.

UP NEXT

BU will next face Northwestern on Friday (Feb. 27) at 11 a.m. and the Wildcats a second time on Saturday (Feb. 28) with a 10 a.m. first pitch.
The Terriers are 0-2 all-time with a 5-0 loss in 2013 and 2-0 defeat back in 2024 at a tournament hosted by South Carolina.