Boston College Athletics
Boston College
Utah
Softball Claims First Win Of New Season
February 17, 2002 | Softball
Feb. 17, 2002
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Boston College won its first game of the 2002 season with an 8-inning, 5-4 victory over Utah on the final day of the Aggie Invitational on Sunday. The Eagles completed the tournament with a 1-4 record.
The game mirrored the team's opening game of the season - also against the Utes - except for the final score. The Eagles took a 1-0 lead only to see Utah even the score in the next half inning, then the Eagles went ahead, but Utah rallied to tie the score in the final frame. The difference this game was that the BC pitchers stopped the rally and let the team take the game to extra innings, where the team earned its first victory of the young season.
Cara Blumfield posted an early 1-0 lead for BC with her first home run of the year in the top of the first inning. Last season, she set a school record with 14 homers. Utah tied the score in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice bunt.
BC went up 3-1 in the top of the third when Sara Kellner and Jacqui Goodchild came home, then extended the lead to 4-1 in the sixth as Elyse Meredith drove in Erin Mackey. But, Utah scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to tie the score and send the game to extra innings.
In the top of the eighth inning, Michelle Daly, who had been placed on second base, came home on a fielding error of a Meredith hit to give the Eagles the win.
Kim Ryan started the game and pitched 6.1 innings striking out seven batters and allowing four runs. Tekae Malandris came in in the seventh inning and earned the win after pitching a scoreless eighth.
The Eagles will next participate in the Georgie State Round Robin on Sat.-Sun, Feb. 23-24, in Atlanta. Tennessee, Iowa, Drexal, Ball State and host Georgia State will all play in the tournament.
