Boston College softball has had an inconsistent start to the season, picking up wins against notable teams like East Carolina and Michigan State, but has narrowly conceded other games to make for a losing record thus far. Coming off a win against Tennessee-Chattanooga Sunday afternoon, the Eagles headed further South in hopes of tallying another victory, starting their spring break Florida tour against Pennsylvania in Clearwater.
The Eagles did just that, logging a 4-0 shutout of the Quakers after a rain delay that pushed the first pitch to 2 p.m. The cloudy skies failed to put a damper on Susannah Anderson’s pitching performance, as she tossed her second complete game shutout of the year, allowing just three hits to go along with seven strikeouts.
The Eagles (6-10) took some time to warm up, as both teams started out slowly after the field was cleared to play. Penn (2-4) starter Abigail Abramson came out strong in the circle, going 1-2-3 in the first inning. Anderson responded in kind, and quickly shifted the game into a battle of the pitchers. Both teams were unable to get anyone home by the bottom of the first, and a quick three up, three down sent the Eagles into the second inning knotted, 0-0.
A similar pattern continued in the next four innings, as the game remained scoreless until the top of the sixth. BC continued to battle against Abramson, leaving runners on first and third at the bottom of the second inning. The Quakers eventually managed their first hit of the day at the end of the fourth, but it was to no avail. The Eagles slowly started to find their rhythm and quickly cleared the bases, as the pitching duel continued.
The tides turned after the fifth inning, as the Eagles exploded for four runs in the top of the sixth to secure the win. Right fielder Maddison Hamilton doubled to center, as two runs crossed the plate to tip the score in the Eagles’ favor 2-0. Left fielder Ellie Mataya followed Hamilton with a two-run home run to left field, the first of her career. Penn managed to get runners on second and third to make for a small scare at the bottom of the frame, but Anderson got out of the jam and headed into the final inning with a 4-0 lead in hand.
The Quakers put up a late rally in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases with two outs, but the Eagles held on for the shutout. Penn sophomore Sarah Ketring struck out swinging to yield a final score of 4-0, marking the Eagles’ second win in two days.
With BC’s first pair of back-to-back victories under its belt this season, the Eagles are back within striking distance of a .500 record. BC has two non-conference games remaining before the start of ACC play in mid-March, meaning that it will need to round out this road trip perfectly to maintain momentum. But the Eagles will have to rely on more than just Anderson and play aggressively from the outset should they hope to be competitive in conference play.
Featured Image Courtesy of BC Athletics
