As Boston College softball prepared to give its final offensive effort in the second game of Friday’s doubleheader against Florida State, “Miami” by Will Smith blasted through the stadium speakers. It is unclear if the song choice was intentional against a team from Florida, but regardless, the Seminoles finished off a no-hitter and earned their second win of the day over BC three batters later.
BC (5-13, 1-6 Atlantic Coast) fell 3-2 in the first game of the day and lost the second 5-0. Over both games, BC reached base in two total innings and tallied hits in just one. In the two games, the No. 12 Seminoles (18-6, 6-2) combined for 12 total perfect innings against the Eagles.
BC lost the first game of the doubleheader 3-2 in a quick, mostly unceremonious fashion.
The second game started as quietly for BC as the first ended, and this time it never picked up. Although FSU scored five runs, four of them came on an Anna Shelnutt grand slam in the top of the third. The only other run for the Seminoles came off a BC throwing error in the fifth.
Florida State’s starting pitcher Caylan Arnold struck out five BC batters over four innings and was relieved by Danielle Watson, who struck out four in just 2.2 innings.
Cook started for BC and pitched five innings, striking out five FSU hitters while allowing four runs on one swing of the bat.
All of the first game’s action for Florida State came in the top of the fifth when the Seminoles scored three runs on a home run and a two-RBI triple.
In the top of the sixth, BC trailed 3-0, and FSU’s pitcher Kathryn Sandercock was on her way to a perfect game and showed no signs of slowing down. BC’s fate changed, however, when CC Cook sent a routine ground ball to FSU shortstop Josie Muffley, who caught national attention earlier this year when she made a phenomenal tag on a baserunner attempting to steal second.
Muffley fielded it cleanly, and it looked like it would result in Cook being the first out of the inning. Instead, the throw sailed over FSU’s first baseman, and Cook was on first with no outs. That error set the table for Jenna Ergle to walk up to the plate, where she did not stay for long. Ergle took a pitch off the end of her bat back up the middle where it dropped for BC’s first hit of the game.
BC’s next batter sacrificed herself with a bunt to move the runners to second and third with just one out. With ducks on the pond and the tying run at the plate in Ellie Mataya, BC had a chance to get back into the game. Its chances soon faded, however, as Mataya quickly found herself with two strikes after showing bunt and failing to convert a squeeze.
Perhaps she was angry that she was asked to bunt when she could have tied the game, or maybe she got lucky trying to protect the plate. Either way, Mataya muscled the next pitch to deep left field over the outstretched glove of the leaping FSU left fielder. She reached second standing up, and BC scored its first run of the game.
Once again, the Eagles had runners on second and third with just one out. This time, however, Kristin Giery stood at the plate representing the go-ahead run. Like Mataya, she sent a ball in the air to the outfield. But unlike the preceding hit, Giery’s knock spent a little too much time in the air, and FSU’s center fielder tracked it down.
While Giery’s pop fly went down as an out, it was deep enough for BC’s third-base coach to send Djhane Valido—Ergle’s pinch runner—home. She sprung off third as FSU’s center fielder sent a rocket home, her visor flying off in the process. Valido’s dive beat the throw, and BC had its second run of the inning.
Two runs were all BC would get, as its next batter was retired on a bloop to Muffley. The Eagles went quietly in the next inning, as they were retired in order to end the first game of the doubleheader 3-2.
Sandercock pitched the entire game for FSU and struck out two Eagles while allowing just two hits. For BC, Susannah Anderson pitched a complete game but failed to strike out any FSU hitters. She also allowed five walks and four hits over her seven innings.
Featured Image by Ikram Ali / Heights Editor
