Boston College softball (23-17, 9-5 Atlantic Coast) will kick of its three-game series against Notre Dame (28-16, 11-6) on Friday night and battle for second place in the ACC’s Atlantic Division standings. The Eagles have won 14 of their last 16 contests and are looking to redeem themselves after last season’s loss to the Fighting Irish in the ACC Quarterfinals. Notre Dame, on the other hand, enters this series, having already won six of its eight conference road games this season. Not only that, but the Irish are 9-3 overall when playing away from South Bend.
Who is BC playing?
Notre Dame
When is BC playing?
Friday, April 20, 6 p.m.
Saturday, April 21, 1 p.m.
Sunday, April 22, 12 p.m.
Where is BC playing?
Harrington Athletics Village at Brighton Fields, Brighton, Mass.
How to Watch:
The game can be followed with live statistics provided by Sidearm Sports, accessible on BCEagles.com.
Probable Starters:
RHP Jessica Dreswick (14-9) vs. RHP Alexis Holloway (16-10)
RHP Allyson Frei (8-8) vs. LHP Katie Beroint (11-6)
RHP Jessica Dreswick (14-9) vs. RHP Alexis Holloway (16-10)
By the Numbers:
BC:
1) Senior Jessica Dreswick threw a shutout earlier this week against UMass to pick up her 55th career victory, tying her with Alexis Beckman, BC ’97, for the program-lead in all-time wins.
2) Senior Annie Murphy upped her career hits to 200 in the Eagles’ last game, slotting her fourth in BC history. Murphy has also recorded 37 doubles, good for second place in BC history.
3) Giving BC a 5-0 lead over UMass this week, Chloe Sharabba fired away her team-leading sixth home run of the season as well as two other hits in the game, marking her 15th multi-hit game this year.
Notre Dame:
1) Katie Marino led the Fighting Irish’s offense this past week, batting a team-high .438—seven hits and all—over the last five games.
2) Melissa Rochford has been another key piece in the Irish lineup. Posting a .429 batting average this past week, the junior logged six hits and four RBIs, joining Marino as one of Notre Dame’s hottest hitters.
3) Cait Brooks has proved to be vital to the Irish pitching staff, especially in relief. In her last eight innings pitched, Brooks has only conceded five hits and one earned run, walked two batters, and struck out six, limiting opponents to a .172 batting average during that span.
Last Meeting:
BC and Notre Dame last faced each other on May 11, 2017 in the ACC Quarterfinals, where the Irish pulled out a 9-5 victory in extra innings. Despite the Eagles’ early lead, Brooks tied the game at five with a two-run home run in the seventh inning to force extras. The Irish ultimately added four more runs in the top of the eighth, and BC couldn’t muster a comeback. The victory marked Notre Dame’s 28th win over the Eagles all-time, cutting short BC’s potential postseason run.
BC wins if…
It can continue to provide Allyson Frei and Dreswick with run support. As stated above, Sharabba has recorded 15 multi-hit games this season and currently leads the Eagles in home runs. Murphy is on a 12-game hitting streak with seven doubles on the year. If those two alone show up and rake, BC will have a good chance of topping the Irish.
BC loses if…
The Irish shine in the circle. The Eagles will have a hard time scoring runs if Alexis Holloway, Katie Beriont, and the rest of Notre Dame’s arms get the best of the BC lineup. The Eagles’ success is largely dependent on their bats. Whether or not they can plate runs early could very well tip the scale this weekend.
Featured Image by Kaitlin Meeks / Heights Editor
