In the seventh inning of Boston College softball and Florida Gulf Coast’s matchup, both teams were tied 2–2. Each squad was desperately trying to get another run in order to avoid playing an eighth inning. But their efforts were not enough to call the game, though, and the squads ended up playing 10 innings.
In the second game of a doubleheader in the FGCU Tournament, BC (3–0) faced FGCU (0–2) for the second time this week and ultimately took home a 4–3 win after extra innings.
The first two innings passed relatively quickly, with neither team making any runs or hits, but that changed in the top of the third inning when FGCU pitcher Ally Hulme pitched four balls, allowing BC’s Emma Jackson to walk to first base.
Kali Case capitalized on this opportunity and singled to center field, advancing to second base and giving Jackson the chance to advance to third. Then, Hannah Slike continued the momentum Case started and singled to left field, allowing Case and Jackson to run home to give BC a 2–0 lead.
Jordan Stephens then singled to center field and Slike advanced to second base, but the top of the third inning came to an end with two runners left on base when Makenna Segal earned the Eagles’ final out before either Stephens or Slike made it home.
The bottom of the third inning ended with the Eagles still ahead of FGCU 2–0 after BC allowed FGCU to earn one hit and a walk before recording the third out.
By the end of the fifth inning, though, FGCU was tied with BC. In the top of the fifth, BC failed to earn any runs or hits, leaving two players on base, one who walked, and one who reached on a fielder’s choice. In contrast, FGCU scored both of their first two runs in the bottom of the fifth.
With two players having already struck out, courtesy of Abby Dunning, FGCU’s Riley Oakes stepped up to bat. With the bases loaded, Oakes knocked in two RBI’s on a single up the middle.
After the end of the sixth inning, the score was still 2–2, and one team needed to score in the seventh inning to avoid going into extra innings. Although the Eagles came close with Slike and Nicole Giery on first and second base, they were left on base after Stephens and Segal struck out, and FGCU also failed to score in the bottom of the seventh.
It was not until the ninth inning that either team scored. Jackson was placed second and advanced to third after Gator Robinson bunted. Elisabeth Laviolette’s flyout to center field gave Jackson the chance to score which put the Eagles ahead 3–2. But FGCU did not go down without a fight.
In the bottom of the ninth, FGCU tied the score up yet again when Tiffany Meek singled to left field, and McKenzie Whittenberg ran home.
It was only in the 10th inning that BC pulled ahead of FGCU. Meghan Schouten’s RBI gave BC the much-needed run, and BC’s defense in the bottom of the 10th only allowed FGCU to tally one hit. The final out gave BC the 4–3 win.
Preceding their game against FGCU, the Eagles faced Long Island University.
The Eagles came away victorious with a 3–0 victory over the Sharks, totaling six hits and three RBIs. BC gained all three of its runs in the bottom of the second inning.
Laviolette walked to first and advanced to second on a Jackson single to get the half inning started. Then, both were able to reach home on a Robinson, two-RBI single to left center field.
After Case struck out, Giery was next up to bat. Robinson stole second before Giery’s at bat, which allowed Giery’s double to right center field to score her and make it a 3–0 game.
Halie Pappion pitched for the Eagles throughout all seven innings, totaling 121 pitches through 32 batters faced. Papillon had a strong showing, allowing eight hits, earning four strikeouts, and letting up no runs.
