BOX SCORE

BOSTON, Mass. – The University of Hartford Hawks softball team had its chances to reach the scoreboard on Sunday, but was unable to produce any runs as the Boston University Terriers concluded the weekend series with a 2-0 victory on Sunday afternoon.  Both the Hawks and Terriers managed five hits in the outing but the Terriers manufactured single runs in both the second and third inning to squeeze by the Hawks and score the three-game series sweep. 

For the 12th time this season, veteran pitcher Siera Sheehan tossed a complete game, scattering just five hits while issuing just three runs. Both of her runs were marked as earned as the Terriers resorted to its short game to scratch runs across the scoreboard.

Hartford (9-39) dips to 3-12 in America East play while Boston University (33-13) improves its mark to 11-3 in the conference.

The Hawks had a productive second inning as rookie Jackie Kelly smacked a two-bagger to lead-off the frame. After Melani Maxwell was struck by a Erin Schuppert pitch, senior Erica Phelps hustled out an infield single to load up the bases with no outs. Schuppert buckled down for the Terriers, however, and retired the next three batters in order to get out of the jam and keep the Hawks off of the scoreboard.

The game's first run was plated in the home half of the second inning as the Chelsea O'Connor, the Terriers' lead-off batter, earned a walk to start things off and was then sacrificed into scoring position by Amy Ekart. After an infield ground ball advanced BU's runner to third, Mandy Fernandez laced a double to right field to gather to what proved to be the eventual game-winning RBI.

Boston University doubled its advantage to 2-0 as Megan Volpano singled down the left field line, allowing Jayme Mask, who led off with an infield base hit, to score from third.

In its final at-bats, Hartford was in desperate need of base runners to keep its chances of erasing the two-run deficit alive. After the first two batters were retired by Schuppert, Peyton Fisher grinded out an infield single to keep the Hawks in the game with the top of the line-up due up.

Hartford then successfully loaded up the bases as Amber Andrews was hit by a pitch and Shannon Simpkins worked a walk off of the Terriers' newly inserted pitcher, Whitney Tuthill. The pitching change chose to be the correct decision for BU's head coach Shawn Rychcik, however, as Hawks' shortstop Kate Wacyk, who was 0-for-2 with a walk in her previous plate appearances, flew out to the infield to close out the game.

The Hawks' offense struggled to find their rhythm over the weekend as they were held to just a single run over the three-game span and were outscored by the Terriers by a margin of 14-1. 

Diana Consolmagno and her Hawks will return to the diamond on Wednesday, May 2nd as they take on intrastate foe Sacred Heart at 3:00pm in Fairfield.