Top seed Boston University claims 2023 Patriot League softball title (5.13.23)
 
BOSTON – No.1 Boston University captured their sixth Patriot League Softball title with a 2-0 win over No. 3 Army West Point in Boston, Mass. on Saturday afternoon.
 
The title is BU’s fourth in six years and fifth overall under head coach Ashley Waters’ leadership. With the win, BU improved to 22-4 all-time in the Patriot League Tournament.
 
BU senior infielder Caitlin Coker was selected Patriot League Softball Championship MVP after batting .700 (7-for-10) with three runs, two RBIs and a stolen base. She was also named to the Patriot League All-Tournament squad with teammates Allison Boaz (Sr., P/UTL), Lauren Keleher (Jr., OF) and Audrey Sellers (Sr., C/UTL).
 
Army West Point’s Taylor Brown (Fr., INF), Alicyn Grete (Sr., P/OF) and Lauren Little (Jr. INF/OF), Bucknell’s Kaiya Burton (Sr., P) and MaKenzie Hilling (So., UTL), along with Lehigh’s Josie Charles (Sr., IF/OF) and Sydney Parlett (Fr., UTL) also earned spots on the all-tournament team.
 
During the first day of the Championship, Boston University junior Kayla Roncin set the Patriot League record in hits in a season with 86. Roncin also broke the League’s single-season total bases record with 134. She heads into the NCAA DI Softball Championship with 88 hits and 136 total bases.
 
Boston University received the League’s automatic berth to the NCAA DI Softball Championship and will learn their opponent during the NCAA D1 Softball Championship Selection Show on Sunday, May 14, at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.
 
2023 Patriot League Softball Championship Most Valuable Player 
Caitlin Coker, Boston University, Sr., INF
 
2023 Patriot League Softball All-Tournament Team
Allison Boaz, Boston University, Sr., P/UTL
Caitlin Coker, Boston University, Sr., INF
Lauren Keleher, Boston University, Jr., OF
Audrey Sellers, Boston University, Sr., C/UTL
Taylor Brown, Army West Point, Fr., INF
Alicyn Grete, Army West Point, Sr., P/OF
Lauren Little, Army West Point, Jr., INF/OF
Kaiya Burton, Bucknell, Sr., P
MaKenzie Hilling, Bucknell, So., UTL
Josie Charles, Lehigh, Sr., IF/OF
Sydney Parlett, Lehigh, Fr., UTL
 
No. 1 Boston University Terriers (51-8, 17-1 PL) 2, No. 3 Army West Point Black Knights (22-37, 10-8 PL) 0
Box Score
BOSTON- Patriot League Pitcher of the Year Allison Boaz and defensive Player of the Year Caitlin Coker led BU to a 2-0 victory over Army West Point to claim the 2023 Patriot League title.
*Boaz threw 115 pitches, gave up four hits and struck out six in the complete-game shutout.
*Coker hit a double, a triple and scored both BU runs in her MVP performance.
*In the bottom of the fourth, Coker doubled and junior Lauren Nett singled her home to put BU up 1-0.
*The Terriers went up, 2-0, in the bottom of the sixth when Coker tripled and stole home.
*Army senior pitcher Alicyn Grete gave up six hits and one earned run in the loss.
 
Recaps: Boston University | Army West Point 
 
Patriot League Championship Schedule
Thursday, May 11 | BU Softball Field
Game 1 - #1 Boston University 5 vs. #4 Bucknell 1
Game 2 - #2 Lehigh 5 vs. #3 Army West Point 1
 
Friday, May 12 | BU Softball Field
Game 3 – #1 Boston University 8 vs. #2 Lehigh 3
Game 4 – #3 Army West Point  3 vs. #4 Bucknell 2
Game 5 – #2 Lehigh 2 vs. #3 Army West Point 6
 
Saturday, May 13 | BU Softball Field
Game 6 –#1 Boston University 2 vs. #3 Army West Point 0


ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League's athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.