After Boston College softball overcame a 2–0 deficit to beat Pittsburgh in the first game of a three-game series, BC’s social media platforms dubbed the Eagles the “comeback queens.” By the end of BC’s third game of the series, the “comeback queens” had turned out another come-from-behind victory to earn their first ACC series win of the season.
BC (19–20, 5–13 Atlantic Coast) defeated the Panthers 4–2 on Thursday before splitting a doubleheader on Friday. The Eagles fell 7–4 in the first matchup on Friday before rallying to defeat the Panthers 7–3 in the second game.
Pitt (14–21, 2–14) grabbed an early lead in the first inning of Friday’s second game. Yvonne Whaley singled to first, and after Bailey Drapola struck out, Sarah Seamans homered to right field. Going into the second inning, the Eagles already faced a 2–0 deficit.
Pitt held onto its lead until the top of the fourth inning, when BC began to live up to its new moniker. Gianna Boccagno started the hot streak in the fourth by homering to left center, driving in Nicole Giery to tie the game at two apiece.
To open the fifth, Ellie Mataya doubled down the left field line. Abigail Knight then walked. Mataya advanced on a flyout from Hannah Slike and Knight advanced on a wild pitch.
Giery and Kamryn Warman then reached on a fielder’s choice, driving in Mataya and Knight. Boccagno hit a flyout to right field, bringing Giery home, and Kennedy Labshere was called safe at first to bring in Erika Andal and cap off the inning. The Eagles left the fifth with a 6–2 lead.
In the last inning of the day, both BC and Pitt scored one more run, and BC claimed a 7–3 win and finished the series with two wins.
Earlier in the day, BC recorded a loss in the series’ middle game. BC jumped out to a 2–0 lead in the first inning, but Pitt’s offense exploded in the game’s middle innings off two home runs and a triple from Drapola to go up 7–2 by the end of the fourth.
The Eagles scored two runs off a home run from Mataya—her first of the season—in the fifth, but they failed to overcome the Panthers’ offensive effort and lost 7–4.
In Thursday’s game, pitcher Susannah Anderson allowed four hits and zero runs through the first three innings. In the bottom of the fourth, Anderson allowed the first score of the game as Pitt’s Katlyn Pavlick homered to center field.
BC’s offense did not score in the top of the fifth, giving the Panthers the opportunity to extend their lead in the bottom of the inning. Anderson walked Pitt’s Haylie Brunson, and Kylie Griggs singled. Despite a fielding error on second base, BC defended home plate and tagged EC Taylor—pinch running for Brunson—out at home plate.
After a single from Whaley, the Panthers capitalized on another run, and the fifth inning ended with Pitt on top 2–0.
With BC down by two runs, Boccagno crushed a solo home run to right field. Mataya stepped up next and smashed a double to left center. Knight struck out looking, but Slike and Warman both walked.
BC had bases loaded with Kristin Giery up to bat. She struck out, but her sister Nicole Giery stepped up in the next at-bat and kept the inning going. She reached on an error and advanced to second on the throw. Warman advanced to third, which pushed Slike and Mataya home.
BC continued its offensive fire into the seventh inning. Kali Case reached first and advanced to second on a throwing error by Pitt’s shortstop. Boccagno grounded out to second but put Case in scoring position on third. Mataya then singled to the shortstop, scoring Case.
In the bottom of the seventh, Anderson stayed strong on the mound, and the Eagles shut down Pitt to earn a 4–2 win.
