Heading into its final series of the 2023 season on a six game losing streak, Boston College softball needed its offense to find its footing, as the Eagles had scored a combined two runs in its previous three games.
“We always talk offense being a team within a team and unselfishly doing what is needed at the moment,” BC head coach Amy Kvilhaug said.
Freshman Meghan Schouten helped rejuvenate the offense, blasting her fourth home run of the season in the top of the fifth inning with two outs to put BC ahead 4–2.
“Meg capitalized when we needed it,” Kvilhaug said. “Great team win.”
Starter Abby Dunning took care of business in the final two innings to finish her complete game, and the Eagles (22–28, 4–18 Atlantic Coast) walked away with a 4–2 win over Syracuse (23-23-1, 7–13–1) on Friday on the road. The win marked BC’s third-straight victory over the Orange.
The Eagles got the scoring started in the top of the first inning, beginning with Nicole Giery singling through the left side for BC’s first at-bat of the game. Abigail Knight reached first on a walk, and Hannah Slike punched a single to left field to score Giery and put BC ahead 1–0.
Freshman Aleyah Terrell grounded out to third base to put BC up by two for BC’s second, and Zoe Hines followed with a ground out of her own to end the inning.
Dunning held Syracuse scoreless until the third inning, as Syracuse started it off with a deep double to right field. Rebecca Clyde then reached first base on an error, simultaneously allowing Syracuse to score an unearned run. Tessa Galipeau grounded out to shortstop to score Clyde to tie up the game at two apiece, but that would be the Orange’s last run of the game.
The top of the fifth inning featured the Eagles regaining the lead on Schouten’s two-run home run. The home run marked BC’s fourth hit in a game where they recorded seven total hits, its most hits in its last six games. In total, BC left seven runners on base, showing its success in the batter’s box.
“We did a great job of working counts and getting runners on base, putting pressure on Syracuse in numerous innings,” Kvilhaug said. “We spoke about continuing to attack strikes and having a plan against Syracuse’s pitching staff. We just did a really nice job of executing when we needed it.”
Syracuse failed to register a hit in the fourth, fifth, or sixth inning. Dunning was stellar in the circle all game, allowing just two hits and tossing five strikeouts for her 11th win of the season.
“This may have been one of Abby’s best performances of the season,” Kvilhaug said. “She did a wonderful job attacking the strike zone keeping her pitch count down about as low as it’s been in a game this year.”
BC almost did more damage in the seventh inning, as Giery and Knight both notched back-to-back singles. Slike then advanced to first base on a walk to load the bases, but Schouten popped up for the third out.
A double and a hit by pitch gave Syracuse two base runners in the bottom of the seventh inning, but Taylor Posner grounded out into the double play to end the game and hand BC the win.
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