After suffering just its second series sweep of the season at the hands of Louisville, Boston College softball (26-21, 11-9 Atlantic Coast) looks to bounce back against Bryant (12-29, 6-8 Northeast), an opponent it’s historically dominated. The Eagles are an impressive 10-1 all time against the Bulldogs, with their lone loss in the series coming seven years ago. After having scored just four runs during the three-game series with the Cardinals, BC looks to wake the bats up and provide better run support to extend a seven-game non-conference winning streak.
Who is BC playing?
Bryant
When is BC playing?
Wednesday, April 2, 4 p.m.
Where is BC playing?
Harrington Athletics Village at Brighton Fields, Brighton, Mass.
How to Watch:
Live stats will be provided by Sidearm Stats.
Probable Pitching Matchup:
RHP Allyson Frei (10-11) vs. RHP Logan Paul (5-5)
By the Numbers:
BC:
1) Annie Murphy’s single in Tuesday afternoon’s win over Massachusetts Lowell extended her on-base streak to 24 games, a remarkable run, while her .384 batting average has climbed all the way to fifth ACC.
2) Lexi DiEmmanuele leads the team in stolen bases with 26 after swiping three against the Riverhawks. Yet to finish her junior season, DiEmmanuele is already second all-time in Eagles history with 80 career steals.
3) Despite struggling a little bit this weekend, BC’s stellar pitching tandem of Frei and Dreswick has continued to keep the Eagles in games. Their combined ERA of 2.37 is good for third-best in the ACC.
Bryant:
1) The Bulldogs enter Wednesday’s contest on the heels of a six-game losing streak, having dropped conference series’ to Mount St. Mary’s and St. Francis as well as midweek tilts to UConn and Rhode Island—their last win came against Robert Morris back on April 21.
2) Bryant has struggled in multiple phases of the game this season, as both its team batting average of .237 and its team ERA of 5.86 sit firmly in the bottom of the Northeast Conference leaderboard.
3) Nobody in the Bulldogs everyday lineup has cracked the .300 mark on the season, but junior Kaleigh Goulart has arguably been the most consistent: She leads the teams in at bats and doubles, additionally tying for the lead in home runs and RBIs.
Last Meeting:
BC and Bryant met last season when the Eagles traveled down to Rhode Island in a midweek road tilt. Kendra Friedt and Dreswick combined to allow just two hits, while Tatiana Cortez scored the only run of the game in a narrow 1-0 victory for BC.
Outlook:
Against an opponent who is struggling this season, and who the Eagles have had more than enough success against in the past, they have to feel pretty good about their chances to walk away with a win. It’s important that BC not take the Bulldogs too lightly, however, with their final weekend series of the year against Georgia Tech coming up and a chance at second place in the ACC Atlantic Division still a realistic possibility. A late-season run starts with consistency in non-conference play, and extending the streak to eight games more than solidifies that.
Featured Image by Keith Carroll / Heights Staff
