Eagles Win Three, Lose Two at Bulldog Classic This Weekend

Boston College Softball competed in the Bulldog Classic this weekend down in Athens, Georgia. They beat Western Carolina Friday afternoon, but fell to Georgia later that evening. Saturday morning saw a big win over Eastern Illinois, followed by a second loss to Georgia. The Eagles wrapped up the tournament with another win over Eastern Illinois earlier this morning.

Western Carolina opened up the scoring in the first game with the first home run BC had given up so far this season. The Eagles responded immediately in the top of the sixth with a homer as well; Djhane Valido’s first of the season. AJ Alatorre then got her first home run of the season in the top of the seventh, a hit that brought Britney Richardson home as well, giving BC the lead of 3-1. The score would remain the same at the end of the inning, securing the win.

Just a few hours later, the Eagles faced Georgia, who are ranked 14^th nationally. The Bulldogs scored six runs throughout the first six innings. Gianna Sarlo was able to score at the top of the seventh, with a bases-loaded walk for Valido. The following batter, Abigail Knight, was also walked, allowing Richardson to score. This was all the Eagles were able to get, and thus ended the game with a loss of 2-6.

Saturday morning started with the first game against the Eastern Illinois Panthers. At the bottom of the second BC made six runs to open the scoring, with Kristin Giery, Djhane Valido, Abigail Knight, AJ Alatorre, Ellie Mataya, and Gianna Boccagno all making it home. And the scoring didn’t stop there. At the bottom of the third, BC scored four more runs. Mataya doubled to allow Sarlo and Richardson to make it home, followed by a Jenna Ergle double to bring Mataya home. Giery’s next at-bat allowed Ergle to make it home thanks to a fielding error. The game remained scoreless after that and ended in the fifth. Susannah Anderson pitched all five innings and threw five strikeouts.

Boston College then faced Georgia again. They were only able to make one hit yesterday afternoon, and were unable to turn it into a run. Georgia made three runs against the Eagles while CC Cook was pitching during the first five innings, and then one against Peyton Schnackenberg, who stepped in in relief in the sixth, pitching only one inning.

This morning the Eagles beat the Panthers again, this time with a run-rule in the sixth. Both Valido and Knight scored when Alatorre doubled at the top of the second. At the top of the sixth, seven more Eagles made it home, leaving the final score 9-0. CC Cooke pitched the first four inning, the first three being hitless, while pitching one strike and only allowing one hit.. Anderson then pitched in relief for the remainder of the game, allowing only two hits and throwing two strikeouts.

The Eagles are back in Georgia this week, with a game against Georgia Southern this Wednesday at 6pm, and then a series against Georgia Tech this weekend.