After starting out the season on a strong note, Boston College softball faltered at the Florida Gulf Coast University/Four Points by Sheraton Invitational in Fort Myers, Fla. this weekend. The Eagles managed to defeat the University of Wisconsin, but lost to FGCU, Rutgers University, Florida International University, and Hofstra University.
In their final game of the invitational, the Eagles fell 3-1 to Hofstra. For the most part, both BC (8-7) and the Pride (5-5) struggled offensively, recording hits in just one inning apiece. But it was enough for Hofstra to build up a lead impossible for BC to overcome. All of Hofstra’s action came in the third inning, when the Pride recorded three hits and three runs. Courtney Scarpato started off the offensive flurry with a single, but was thrown out at second when Kristin Hallam singled. Jordan Weed walked Brielle Pietrafesa, then Megan Patierno reached first, loading the bases for the Pride. Thanks to an error on the Eagles’ part, Brittany Allocca drove Hallam, Pietrafesa, and Patierno home for three quick runs.
BC’s offensive production came in the top of the seventh inning thanks to Tatiana Cortez. The senior homered to left field to put BC on the scoreboard for the first time. The rest of the team did not have her hot bat, however, and the game ended with Hofstra preserving its 3-1 lead.
On Saturday afternoon, Florida International (10-5) defeated the Eagles, 2-1. In the top of the first, Jessica Dreswick expertly contained FIU, forcing three straight groundouts to set a dominant tone. In the bottom of the first, the Eagles scored their only run of the game. Abby Summers walked Taylor Coroneos, putting a runner on base with no outs. The next two batters struggled, however—Chloe Sharabba fouled out, then Cortez struck out. With two outs, Jordan Chimento was up to bat. She singled, sending Coroneos home for the first run of the game and giving BC an early 1-0 lead.
Over the next two innings, Dreswick continued to stifle the Panthers, preserving her no-hitter through the end of the third inning. In the fourth inning, Jackie Schoff broke through with a single to left field. Later in that inning, Stephanie Texeira and Kasandra Castle found themselves on base with Dani Mowry at the plate. Mowry cracked a triple to right field, sending Texeira and Castle home to take the lead from the Eagles. Neither team managed to score again, and the game ended with the Panthers’ 2-1 lead intact.
Earlier on Saturday morning, BC fell to Rutgers 4-0, handing the Scarlet Knights (1-8) their first victory of the season. Unlike in the Florida International game, BC struggled early. While Sharabba doubled in the top of the first, Coroneos and Cortez grounded out, and Lexi DiEmmaneuele struck out. Fortunately for BC, it also took time for Rutgers to warm up. But the Scarlet Knights were ready for an offensive showing by the third inning. Nicolette Anico and Taryn Atlee each singled to reach base. With Anico on third and Atlee on second, Nicole Bowman stepped up to the plate. She drove both of them home with a single to left field, giving Rutgers a 2-0 lead. The Scarlet Knights doubled that advantage before the game’s end. In the fifth, Bowman drove Atlee home once again, this time with a double to center field. And in the sixth inning, Anico doubled, sending her teammate Hailey Hoklotubbe home for the final run of the game.
On Friday night, tournament hosts FGCU (8-5) defeated the Eagles 3-1 in a walk-off victory. Once again, the Eagles jumped out to a lead early in the game, but squandered it late. In the second inning, Cortez reached base on a double. DiEmmaneuele’s sacrifice RBI sent Cortez home and gave the Eagles a 1-0 lead. That lead lasted until the seventh inning. Racquel Fournet reached base thanks to an error and was replaced by pinch runner Emily Demurias. Brittany McGuire doubled, driving Demurias home and tying up the game. Despite controlling all of the momentum, FGCU failed to score again in the seventh, sending the game to the eighth inning tied at one apiece. Neither the Eagles nor FGCU managed anything in the eighth inning, and FGCU stifled BC once again in the top of the ninth. In the bottom of the ninth, with Ashley Swiderski on base, Fournet hit a walk-off home run to secure FGCU a 3-1 victory.
The Eagles’ only victory of the invitational came in the first game, when they defeated Wisconsin 4-1 on Friday afternoon. It was the Badgers’ (12-2) only loss of the entire invitational. BC started the scoring off in the second inning when Madison Paulson drove DiEmmaneuele home to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead. In the third, BC cushioned its lead when Cortez singled to drive Coroneos home. In the fifth, the Badgers reached the scoresheet when Brianna Flugaur reached home thanks to a Sara Novak RBI single.
BC doubled its lead in the fifth inning. With Cortez on first and Sharabba on third, the Eagles had runners on the corner. Wisconsin pitcher Kaitlyn Menz walked Annie Murphy, loading the bases for BC. DiEmmaneuele then singled to left field, advancing Cortez and Murphy and driving Sharabba home. Menz then walked Allyson Moore, sending Cortez home for another run. Neither team mustered up any more runs in the game, ensuring that the game finished with BC’s secure 4-1 lead.
Featured Image by Taylor Perison / Heights Archive
