LUBBOCK, Texas – In a clash of conference champions, the Patriot League’s Boston University softball team staved off elimination in the NCAA Lubbock Regional on Saturday, earning a 10-2 run-rule win over the MAAC representative Marist at Tracy Sellers Field.

The Terriers (47-14), seeded third in the region, used a seven-run third inning to break open a 2-2 tie before scoring once more in the bottom of the fifth to end the Red Foxes’ season at 37-21. Posting a 12-3 advantage in hits, BU secured its third NCAA tournament win in the last four years with all three victories finishing in run-rule fashion.

Sophomore Kieren McHugh was one of four Terriers with two hits in the game and recorded a career-high five RBIs. Freshman Irys Kline launched a pinch-hit home run in the third and senior Kasey Ricard (33-7) earned the win on the mound, pitching a complete game with seven strikeouts.

HOW IT HAPPENED


Marist quickly took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first with a two-run home run from Haley Ahr.
The Terriers wasted no time in erasing the early deficit as McHugh drove in senior Megan Coyle and sophomore Camryn Lyons with a single to left field in the bottom of the first.
Ricard allowed just one hit the rest of the way and the Terriers took the lead in the third and never looked back.
Junior Kylie Doherty opened the third with a single through the left side before Coyle reached on an error.
Both runners advanced on a groundout before scoring on a double down the left-field line by McHugh to put BU up 4-2.
Junior Sophie Naivar followed with another double to plate McHugh and then scored herself on a single from senior Olivia DeLong, pushing the Terriers’ lead to 6-2.
Kline pushed the advantage to 8-2 when she pinch hit and drilled a pitch over the wall in left-center.
The seven-run inning was capped when Lyons drew a bases-loaded walk, creaing a 9-2 lead.
The run-rule victory was sealed when a grounder from McHugh turned into a rundown that scored pinch runner Ava Johnson.

GAME NOTES


The run-rule victory marked BU’s 10th all-time win in NCAA regional play, as the Terriers improved to 2-0 all-time against the MAAC following a 4-3 (13) thriller against Iona back in 2012.
With her seven-strikeout performance, Ricard incresed her career total to 93, breaking the Patriot League record of 928 strikeouts held by Lehigh’s Lisa Sweeney (’09).
Ricard issued just one walk while picking up her nation-best 33rd win of the season.
McHugh, Naivar, Doherty and Deppiesse each had two hits and a run in the win.

UP NEXT


BU will have a quick turnaround and in approximately 30 minutes face off against Ole Miss on Saturday evening for the second time in as many days after the Rebels opened the three-day regional with an 8-6 victory on Friday.
The winner will go on to face No. 11-overall seed Texas Tech in the regional finals on Sunday (May 17).