Eagles Extend Win Streak to Nine at NC State

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Eagles Extend Win Streak to Nine at NC State

RALEIGH, N.C. – The Boston College softball team swept NC State on the day, 6-2, and, 12-2 in five innings, to secure its third straight ACC series win and extend its winning streak to nine games. The last time BC won nine straight games was in 1999.

NC State scored first in the second inning of game one, taking an early 2-0 lead. BC took the lead in the third inning though as freshman Cami Sellers hit a single up the middle to put a runner on first for BC with nobody out. Senior Jordan Chimento reached on a fielder’s choice. Sophomore Olivia Markopoulos ran out an infield single and senior Chloe Sharabba drew a walk to load the bases. Senior Annie Murphy reached on a throwing error by the Wolfpack third baseman, allowing one run to score and giving the Eagles a lead that they would hold for the remainder of the game.

Game two of the day was a one-run game entering the fourth inning with BC leading 3-2. An error by the pitcher allowed Chimento to score the first run and a single by Murphy plated Markopoulos, who reached on the error. Three more hits in the inning and one more error allowed BC to explode for seven total runs, taking a strong 10-2 lead into the bottom of the fourth. Two more runs in the fifth would secure a 12-2 victory.

Senior Jessica Dreswick and redshirt junior Allyson Frei combined for two wins on the day. Dreswick threw four innings in game one and allowed only two runs. With 53 career wins, the senior is just three victories shy of the all-time BC win record. Frei came on to pitch the final three innings of game one and held the Wolfpack scoreless. The right-hander got the start in game two and she threw five innings, allowing only two runs and recording five strikeouts. Frei finished with eight K’s on the day.

Murphy finished four-for-four in game two and five-for-seven on the day, posting a team-leading .714 batting average.

The Eagles look for their third straight ACC series sweep when they face NC State in the third and final game of the series on Sunday, April 8 at noon.

GAME INFORMATION
Score: Boston College 6, NC State 2 | BC 12, NC State 2 (5)
Records: Boston College (18-15, 7-3 ACC), NC State (20-18, 4-9 ACC)
Location: Raleigh, N.C. (Curtis & Jacqueline Dail Stadium)
Time of Game: 2:00 | 1:50
Weather: 75 and sunny | 68 degrees and cloudy

BC Highlights:

The nine-game win streak is the longest of the season for the Eagles. The last time the Maroon and Gold earned nine straight wins was when they won nine consecutive games against Pittsburgh, Providence, Yale, Fairfield and Connecticut during the 1999 season.
During the winning streak, BC has recorded a .324 team batting average and scored 72 runs. The team has collected 73 hits, including five home runs. BC has also drawn 55 walks during the streak, posting a .464 team on base percentage. Dreswick and Frei have a combined 1.75 ERA during the streak and have allowed just 14 earned runs.
The Eagles are 7-0 in ACC match-ups during the streak.
BC has now recorded 12 or more hits in a game three times this season.
The Eagles batted around in the fourth inning of the second game – marking the second time this season, and second time in the last three games, that BC has done so.
The victory marks the fourth time this season that BC has run-ruled its opponent. The Eagles defeated Virginia, 8-0, in five innings on March 23, beat Syracuse, 12-2, in six innings on March 31 and defeated Providence in five innings, 16-4, on April 4.
With a single in both games, Murphy extended her hitting streak to five games. She led the team on the day with a .714 batting average. She had a team-high five hits, while also picking up two RBIs and scoring three runs.
With a single in the third inning of game one, Sharabba has collected a hit in 23 of the 31 games this season and has reached base safely in all but four games.
Freshman CC Cook extended her hitting streak to four games with three hits on the day.
Sellers singled up the middle in the fourth inning of game one and picked up a double in game two. She has now reached base safely in 11 straight games.

Game 1 Turning Point:.
Sellers hit a single up the middle in the fourth inning to put a runner on first with one out. Chimento reached on a fielder’s choice. An infield single by Markopoulos followed by a Sharabba walk loaded the bases. Murphy reached base on a throwing error by the NC State third baseman, which allowed one run to score as BC took a lead that it would hold for the remainder of the game.

How it Happened:

BC loaded the bases with two outs in the first inning as senior Annie Murphy, junior Carly Severini and freshman Emme Martinez all reached base on a walk. A ground out ended the inning though as the Eagles were unable to score.
Timberlyn Shurbutt led off the second inning with a single to left field. With one out, Cheyenne Balzer doubled to right field to drive home Shurbutt. A single by Sam Russ to shortstop Sharabba put runners on the corners with one out. Lily Bishop then singled up the middle to drive home Balzer and put NC State up 2-0.
The Maroon and Gold responded in the third inning when Sharabba led off with a single over the head of the NC State second baseman. A ground out by Murphy advanced Sharabba to second. Cook singled to right field to put runners on the corners for BC. Junior Carly Severini grounded out to first, allowing Sharabba to score, making the score 2-1.
The Eagles threatened again in the fourth inning when Sellers singled up the middle to put a runner on first for BC with one out. Chimento reached base on a fielder’s choice. A two-out infield single by Markopoulos followed by a walk by Sharabba loaded the bases. Murphy reached base on a throwing error by the NC State third baseman, allowing two runs to score to give BC a 3-2 lead.
Cook led off the fifth inning with a hit by pitch and Severini reached on an error by the NC State third baseman. A sacrifice bunt by freshman Emme Martinezallowed both runners to advance a base. Junior Lexi DiEmmanuele reached base on a bunt single, and a throwing error by the third baseman allowed both Cook and Severini to score. DiEmmanuele advanced to second on the error and then promptly stole third. The junior scored on a wild pitch to double’s BC’s lead to 6-2.

Game 2 Turning Point:
BC was leading 3-2 entering the fourth inning but the bats exploded for seven runs in the fourth to take a commanding 10-2 lead on five hits and two errors. A throwing error in the beginning of the inning allowed Chimento to score and Markopoulos to advance to third, starting what would be a seven-run rally.

How it Happened:

BC jumped out to an early lead in the first inning when Sharabba and Murphy led off with back-to-back singles to left field. Both runners advanced on a throwing error by the NC State catcher. Cook hit a single to left field to drive home Sharabba. Severini launched a sacrifice to left field to plate Murphy and give BC a 2-0 lead.
NC State responded in the bottom of the inning when Jade Caraway led off with a walk and Chandley Garner doubled to left center field to put two runners in scoring position for the Wofpack with nobody out. A sacrifice bunt by Alyssa Compton allowed Caraway to score, making the score 2-1.
The Eagles added to their lead in the second inning when Markopoulos and Sharabba both reached base on four-pitch walks. With two outs, Murphy ran out an infield single to third base to load the bases. Every runner advanced a base on a wild pitch, including Markopoulos who scored the third BC run of the game.
In the bottom of the inning, Angie Rizzi led off with a single to left field. Balzer doubled to deep right field to put a runner on second and third for NC State with nobody out. Rizzi scored on a wild pitch to pull the Wolfpack within one.
Chimento led off the fourth inning with a walk. Markopoulos hit a ground ball to the pitcher and Devin Wallace tried to get the leading runner at second base but the throw was off the mark and rolled all the way to the center field wall, allowing Chimento to score. Markopoulos advanced all the way to third and Sharabba drew an eight-pitch walk to put runners on the corners for BC with nobody out. Murphy hit a single to left field to plate Markopoulos. Cook singled through the left side, allowing Sharabba to score as all of the runners advanced. Martinez launched a deep sacrifice fly to center field, plating Murphy. Severini reached base on a walk. Sellers roped a single down the left field line, scoring Cook. Chimento hit a bloop single, scoring Severini and Sellers to give BC a commanding 10-2 advantage.
Murphy singled to shortstop to lead off the fifth inning. With one out, Severini singled through the left side to put runners on first and second for BC. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch and Murphy scored on a passed ball. A sacrifice fly to center field plated Severini and increase BC’s lead to 12-2.

Up Next:
BC will play the third and final game of the series against NC State in Raleigh, N.C. on Sunday, April 8 at noon.