BOSTON, Mass. – Making its first appearance in the Patriot League Tournament since 2012, Lafayette softball jumped out to an early lead before a sixth-inning rally handed the three-time defending champion Boston U. Terriers a 7-3 final on Thursday afternoon. Senior
Kylee Sweet validated her All-Patriot League selection with a 3-for-4 day at the plate that included two RBI.
Second-year head coach
Kelliner Croushore had the Leopards ready to go in the first inning. On the second pitch of the game,
Caroline Hall ripped a ground-rule double. Two batters later, Sweet went low in the zone and lifted an offering over the wall in left field for the 2-0 advantage.
Regan Dillon (single) and
Ava Butler (RBI-double) both followed with hits that stretched the lead to 3-0 and knocked BU starter and 30-game winner Kasey Ricard from the game.
The hosts scored two in the third and two more in the fourth. Croushore replaced starter
Marisa Powell with one out in the third in favor of
Jordan Goedel. The Terriers plated two runs on two hits, but Goedel stranded three baserunners in the inning, and Lafayette still held the lead, 3-2.
Five walks led to a pair of runs in the home half of the fourth inning. The fourth free pass, handed to Camryn Lyons, tied the game and saw Goedel exit in favor of
Parker Rowden. Rowden walked the next batter to give BU a 4-3 lead before getting a line out to end the inning with the bases loaded. BU left 11 on base for the afternoon.
Walks continued to pile up in the sixth inning, as the first two batters reached on nine pitches. BU took advantage and created some breathing room with Kyomi Apalit's three-run home run to lead 7-3 heading to the seventh.
Haley Ganino retired the Leopards in order in that final half inning to earn a three-inning save. Danika Nell tossed 3.2 innings while scattering three hits to collect the win. Goedel took the loss, allowing two runs with four walks and a strikeout in 1.1 innings. She did not allow a hit.
The Leopards will play Friday at 1:30 p.m. vs. the loser of today's Army-Colgate game.
