Virginia Softball Sweeps Boston College, Secures Best ACC Start in Program History
Virginia softball (21-12, 8-1 ACC) is establishing itself as a force to be reckoned with in the ACC after coming away with three hard-fought wins against Boston College (14-14, 2-7 ACC). The Cavaliers swept the Eagles to pick up their second-straight series sweep of an ACC opponent on the road.
Friday (3/25): Virginia 5, Boston College 3
Tori Gilbert opened the scoring in game one with a solo homer, her eighth of the year. In the top of the second, Abby Weaver singled to score Katie Goldberg, who reached on an error to lead off the inning.
Boston College crept back in the bottom of the second with an RBI double from Kennedy Labshere after a Cavalier error. The Virginia defense, which has been lights out this season, had an uncharacteristic two errors in this game. Sure enough, the Cavaliers settled in and got an out at home later in the second inning to prevent the tying run from crossing the plate on a grounder to second base.
In the bottom of the fourth, Kennedy Labshere scored on an error on a Gianna Boccagno ground ball, tying the score at two. Both teams were quiet offensively in the fifth and sixth innings to keep the score at 2-2 heading into the seventh.
Virginia pieced together three hits in the top of the seventh inning to score three runs. Kate Covington started things off with a single to right field and then Lauren VanAssche singled and Tori Gilbert was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Gabby Baylog came up with a clutch two-run double and Leah Boggs added a sacrifice fly to give the Cavaliers some breathing room. In the bottom of the seventh, Gianna Boccagno hit a solo home run and the Eagles brought the winning run to the plate with two outs. But, Abigail Knight lined out to Sarah Coon at third base to end the game.
Mikayla Houge pitched six innings and earned the victory, while Susannah Anderson made it 6.1 innings before running into trouble and taking the loss for Boston College. Gabby Baylog was the hero for Virginia, going 2-3 with two RBIs.
The victory was the 100th win for Joanna Hardin as head coach of the UVA softball team.
Saturday (3/26): Virginia 5, Boston College 2
Once again, the Cavalier offense was ready to go in the first inning. After two batters were hit by pitches to start the game, Katie Goldberg hit a bloop single to center field to score Sarah Coon and Tori Gilbert slid in safely right behind her in a close play at the plate.
Gilbert added an RBI single in the top of the fourth, scoring Arizona Ritchie. The Eagles got on the board in the bottom half of the inning as Kennedy Labshere hit an RBI single, and then added one more run in the bottom of the fifth from Abigail Knight’s single.
After failing to score with runners in scoring position in the sixth inning, Virginia extended its lead in the seventh with an Abby Weaver infield single and then a successful double steal where Lauren VanAssche stole home to score the team’s fifth run.
Madison Harris retired the Eagles in order in the bottom of the seventh to secure the win and clinch the series victory for Virginia. Savanah Henley earned the win in relief for UVA and Peyton Schnackenberg took the loss. Katie Goldberg and Donna Friedman each posted two hits for Virginia and Goldberg added two RBIs.
Sunday (3/27): Virginia 6, Boston College 5
Virginia secured the series sweep in a Sunday afternoon thriller. Tori Gilbert got things going with a solo homer to left-center field in the top of the first and then Boston College responded with an RBI single from Darien McDonough.
In the third, the Cavaliers put up an impressive four runs. After Donna Friedman singled and Arizona Ritchie hit a sacrifice bunt, Sarah Coon doubled in the gap to bring Friedman home. Later in the inning, there were two on and two out for Katie Goldberg as Boston College looked to limit the damage in the inning. However, Goldberg had other ideas as she crushed a three-run bomb to left center field to make the score 5-1.
Virginia added another run in the fourth inning when Abby Weaver singled. Mikayla Houge gave up just one run through five impressive innings, but then ran into trouble in the sixth.
The Eagles scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth on a single from Kennedy Labshere and a home run from Gianna Boccagno to pull within one run. Madison Harris replaced Houge and gave up the Boccagno home run, but closed out the game with a scoreless seventh inning to earn the save.
Virginia won the game despite being outhit 11-5 in the contest. Offensive efficiency was key, as Virginia just had two runners left on base.
Virginia is now 21-12 overall and 8-1 in the ACC, the best start to conference play for the Cavaliers in program history. UVA is currently second in the ACC standings.
Virginia hosts Longwood on Tuesday at 5pm before welcoming No. 2 Florida State to Charlottesville for a big-time three-game series next weekend.
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