America East Champion Boston University dropped a 4-1 decision to No. 2 Arizona and a 5-1 result to Penn State as the Terriers (28-23) season came to an end at the NCAA Regional at Minneapolis, Minn.
No. 1 seed Arizona, ranked second in the nation defeated America East Champion Boston University, 4-1, in the opening game of the NCAA Regional. Senior Aryn Rangel hit a solo home run in the seventh inning to account for the lone Terrier run.
The Terriers had a chance to score in the first inning when America East Player of the Year Jamie Haas led off with a walk. Abbey Pauley then reached on a fielder's choice with Haas erased at second. Pauley was thrown out attempting to steal second and Gladding walked the next two batters before striking out DeKenya Williams.
Arizona (49-10) took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when America East Pitcher of the Year Robyn Horrick walked leadoff batter Lovi Jung and Courtney Fossati doubled to left center to put runners at second and third. America East Rookie of the Year Julie Henneke then caught a fly ball to center and then threw a strike to the plate to erase Jung for a double-play. Horrick couldn't close the inning as MacKenzie Vandergeest added an RBI single and following another single Horrick walked Gladding to force in another run.
Meaghan Finnerty's two-out two-run home run made it 4-0 in the third inning.
Horrick gave up nine hits while striking out four and walking three.
Gladding gave up just two hits -a single by Haas and the home run by Rangel- while striking out 10. She did not walk a batter after the initial three walks in the first inning.
Rangel's home run was the 14th of her career, one shy of the Terrier record set by Cathleen Crowley (1991-94).
The Nittany Lions had 10 hits off America East Rookie of the Year Julie Henneke, who struck out five and walked one.
Penn State (33-25) broke open a scoreless tie in the bottom of the third inning when Jennifer Tripken delivered a two-run single. The Nittany Lions extended the lead to 5-0 in the fifth on a sacrifice fly and a two-tun single by Jackie Dobrowski.
The Terriers scored in the seventh inning when they produced four singles, including an RBI hit by Kristin Knesek off Penn State starter Shana Riggleman, who had allowed just one hit through the first six innings.
America East Player of the Year Jamie Haas was 1-for-4 to finish her rookie season at .404.