Without a loss since March 18 against Duke, Boston College softball’s 12-game winning streak faces its biggest test this weekend—a three-game set with No. 13 Florida State, a team the Eagles have beaten just twice in 37 tries. With a field dedication and the annual pink game on tap for the weekend, BC has plenty of excitement around the program that’s sure to draw a crowd.
Who is BC playing?
Florida State
When is BC playing?
Friday, April 13, 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Saturday, April 14, 2:30 p.m.
Where is BC playing?
Brighton Softball Field, Brighton, Mass.
How to Watch:
The games will be available to follow via live stats from Sidearm Sports.
By the Numbers:
BC:
1) Not only are the Eagles just 2-35 historically against the Seminoles—they’re even worse at home: they’re yet to beat FSU in 13 tries. They’ll look to open up the new field with a rare home victory against the Seminoles.
2) Already with the most starts of any pitcher in BC history, Jessica Dreswick has continued to pile up innings—she’s third in the conference in games started (24), fifth in innings pitched (142), and seventh in appearances (29).
3) Chloe Sharabba went 0-for-5 across her last two games, snapping a torrid stretch where she paced the Eagles with a .500 (15-for-30) mark over nine games. The senior leads the team in average (.357), hits (41), doubles (10), home runs (5), walks (22), and is tied for the lead in RBIs (18).
FSU:
1) Good luck getting a hit off of this pitching staff: Anchored by the duo of Kylee Hanson (20-3, 0.78 ERA) and Meghan King (13-4, 1.14), the Seminoles are 11th in the country in ERA and lead the conference in strikeouts, opposing batting average, and shutouts.
2) A 1-0 shutout loss to Pittsburgh last week snapped a 36-game winning streak in ACC play for FSU, a remarkable run that was the fifth-longest conference winning streak in NCAA history. Overall, the Seminoles have won 22 of their last 23 games.
3) Offensively, the Seminoles place two batters in the ACC’s top 10 by average. Sydney Sherill is second only to Syracuse’s Bryce Holmgren with a .419 mark, while Jessie Warren sits at .358. Overall, FSU is the most potent offensive team: it leads the conference in runs scored, on-base percentage, slugging, and home runs.
Last Meeting:
The Eagles were swept at home back in March 2016, dropping a doubleheader on the first day before faltering, 9-6, in the finale. After a tough 10-2 loss in the opener, BC responded to hang with the Seminoles—a team that would go on to make a run to the College World Series—the next two games. The second game featured just two runs, both scored by FSU in the first inning, that would hold up. Allyson Frei hurled six shutout innings after the early hiccup in the loss. In the final game of the series, BC took a 5-2 lead after one, but would let the Seminoles back into it before coughing up a four-run fourth inning that would doom them.
Outlook:
This is the first real barometer of where BC is truly at—the 12-game winning streak is, without a doubt, incredibly impressive, but it hasn’t been against the greatest of competition. In terms of RPI, the Eagles picked up wins against teams ranked 221st, 117th, 125th, 235th, 78th, 68th, and 134th. Just two wins came against top-100 teams, and now they face an FSU team that is ranks eighth in the country. It has the potential to be a reality check, as BC has played excellently of late to climb just 2.5 games back of the Seminoles in the Atlantic Division standings, but it’s still a premier opponent. Stealing one win against a team that is 36-1 over its past 37 ACC games would be impressive—more than that would put the rest of the conference on notice.
Featured Image by Bradley Smart / Heights Editor
