Terriers defeat Bulldogs, 9-1, Wednesday afternoon at Conaty Park

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Boston University plated five runs in the top of the fifth, sealing the visitors', 9-1, victory over the Bryant University softball team in five innings on Wednesday afternoon in Smithfield.

The Bulldogs (6-29, 5-3 NEC) fell behind the Terriers (15-20, 2-4 Patriot League) by two runs in the first when Gabi Martinez's ground out to short moved Jilee Schanda to third and plated Moriah Connolly. On the ensuing batter, Schanda was able to run in for the 2-0 lead off a Hayley Bottino (Canyon Country, Calif.) wild pitch.

After the two teams traded hits in the second, BU pushed its advantage to four, as Martinez drilled a two RBI double to left center.

In the top of the fifth, the Terriers tacked on another five runs to take a 9-0 lead. With one out and the bases loaded, Alexa Ponce doubled to center field, sending Alex Heinen and Martinez for a six-run edge. Emily Morrow followed up with a one out RBI single to right field, before Brittany Younan's single down the right field line drove in runners from second and third.

After trailing by nine through 4.5 innings of play, junior Lauren Keast (Holliston, Mass.) advanced senior Mollie Anderson (East Greenwich, R.I.) to second off a sacrifice bunt, before Anderson was driven home by sophomore Rachel Monroe's (Southwick, Mass.) single up the middle. Facing a two-out eight-run deficit in the bottom of the fifth, junior Taylor Burger (Killingworth, Conn.) popped up to third, ending the contest in BU's favor, 9-1.

Bottino recorded the loss on the mound, allowing nine runs off 11 hits, while striking out a pair of batters. BU's Melanie Russell's four strike out, three hit performance earned her the win on the mound in 4.1 innings pitched.