Softball

Omaha Holds Off Late Rally, Eliminates Softball in 3-1 Decision at Norman Regional

Courtesy of Boston University Athletics

NORMAN, Okla. – Competing in a battle of now three-time defending conference champions, the Patriot League's Boston University softball team came up just short to the Summit League's Omaha, 3-1, at the NCAA Norman Regional Saturday evening.

The No. 3-seeded Mavericks (40-12) earned a pair of homers and retired the potential tying run in the top of the seventh on a fly out to right to eliminate No. 4-seeded BU (39-19). The Terriers became just the third opponent to tally at least eight hits in a game against two-time conference Pitcher of the Year Maddia Graff (27-7), a day after she held Cal to just four hits in a 1-0 loss. However, they were undone batting 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

Freshman Camryn Lyons went a perfect 4-for-4 with an RBI double in the seventh to lead the BU offense, while both junior Brooke Deppiesse and senior Tyesha Williams recorded two hits apiece.

HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Lyons earned a one-out single in the top of the first before Graff ended the threat on a ground out and strikeout.
  • Williams led off the second on a single, but the Terriers flew out three times.
  • In the bottom half, junior Kasey Ricard (26-12) overcame a lead-off double with a fly out and two strikeouts to keep the game scoreless entering the third, but then the teams had to wait nearly two hours to resume play due to lightning strikes in the area.
  • Williams singled up the middle to start the fourth and advanced to second on sophomore Sophie Naivar's sac bunt, but Graff again kept BU off the scoreboard on a strikeout and grounder to third.
  • The Mavericks took advantage of the Terriers' missed opportunities by hitting a lead-off single and battling back from a two-out, 1-2 count by hammering Ricard's 3-2 pitch to right for the 2-0 lead.
  • Trying to rally in the fifth, Deppiesse and Lyons hit back-to-back one-out singles before Graff garnered a swinging strikeout along with a fly out to center.
  • With one out in the fifth, the Mavericks pounced on Ricard's 1-2 pitch to center for the 3-0 lead.
  • Nell replaced Ricard in the circle and retired five of the six Mavs she faced to keep BU within striking distance.
  • After a quick 1-2-3 to end the sixth. Deppiesse singled to third with two outs and scored from first on Lyons' two-out RBI double to center.
  • Graff claimed the 3-1 win against the Terriers by inducing a fly out to right.
GAME NOTES
  • Lyons became the third Terrier to collect four hits on the season after Deppiesse accomplished the feat one week ago at Patriot League tournament host Army West Point and sophomore Kylie Doherty first hit the mark at Bucknell in March.
  • The contest marked the final one for senior captains Williams and Sydney Pecoraro, as they next set their sights on earning advanced degrees. Batting a personal-best .328, Pecoraro is set to graduate with a bachelor's in health science and will begin pursuing a Doctor of Physical Therapy at BU,
  • Williams batted a combined .305 over her four year period and will next graduate from BU in May with a bachelor's in political science. She will then pursue a law degree at Campbell University located in North Carolina.
  • All 18 available Terriers were able to see action in the game with freshman Ava Johnson earning her first career at-bat late as a pinch-hitter.
  • The two-time reigning PL Pitcher of the Year Ricard ended the season with 233 strikeouts to become just the third Terrier alongside BU Hall of Famers Audrey West ('96) and Shannon Downey ('93) to rank in the top 10 multiple times for strikeouts in a season in the program's record book. Sitting at No. 8 (233 Ks) and No. 4 (265 Ks - 2024), Ricard currently ranks third all-time at BU and second in the Patriot League record book with 690 career strikeouts.
  • Deppiesse finished with a team-high 75 hits, one shy of cracking the top 10 at BU. Her 17 doubles this year are tied-for-third, and the 39 career doubles are tied-for-fifth.
  • Having claimed at least 36 wins in each of the last seven completed seasons,head coach Ashley Waters will enter year 11 with 363 career victories, 37 shy of the 400-win milestone. She has led BU to seven of the program's 14 total NCAA appearances and seven of the 14 regular season titles.