Boston College
Connecticut
Renee Ramos Walk-off Homer Gives Eagles Extra-Inning Win
April 24, 2007 | Softball
April 24, 2007
Chestnut Hill, Mass. - Boston College Softball won a thrilling extra-inning affair on a walk-off homerun by sophomore Renee Ramos in the bottom of the eighth inning this afternoon at Shea Field. With two outs and a runner on third, Ramos connected on a Rachael Crossins offering that sailed over the left-center field wall, propelling the Eagles to the 3-1 victory.
The Eagles sent senior Britney Thompson to the circle today, as BC looked to bounce back from Sunday's 12-0 loss to Georgia Tech. UConn countered with Tricia Sullivan.
In both the first and second innings, Thompson allowed a two-out base hit before striking out the next batter.
The Eagles got a rally started in the bottom of the second, when sophomore Renee Ramos led off with a walk. Freshman Blair Destito, given the start by Head Coach Jen Finley to invigorate the offense, crushed a single through the left side, moving Ramos up to second. After a Sullivan wild pitch, the two runners were in scoring position with only one out. Sullivan responded well, striking out junior Carley McNary and retiring freshman Taylor Peyton on a very well-hit ball to center field.
UConn got a leadoff walk from Jillian Ortega to start the fourth. Consecutive singles from Allie Gendron and Lauren Cecchi put Thompson in a bases-loaded jam with nobody out. Jess Quan came up and ripped a liner to center that looked like major trouble for the Eagles. Center fielder McNary laid out full-extension to make a sensational diving grab and then doubled up Gendron off second base. Ortega came in to score on the sacrifice fly, but McNary's amazing catch enabled BC to minimize the damage. Thompson struck out the next batter, and it was 1-0 after the top of the fourth.
Thompson came right back to lead off the bottom of the inning with a single to center field. With one out, Destito again singled through the left side, moving Thompson up to second in the process. The next batter, Amy Tunstall, ripped a single up the middle, scoring Thompson and tying the game at one. McNary then hit into a fielder's choice before Peyton popped up to end the inning.
The Eagles traded scoreless half-innings in the fifth, as UConn brought in pitcher Rachael Crossin from the bullpen.
Thompson led off the sixth with her second hit of the game, a single to left-center. Renee Ramos laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move Thompson up to second. Destito struck out for the second out of the sixth, Tunstall flew out to the left fielder in foul territory and Crossins was out of the jam.
After a scoreless seventh inning, the two teams headed to extra innings. In non-leagues games, the rules of softball dictate that each team begins it's inning with a runner already placed on second base.
With one out and such a runner on second, UConn's Holly Calcagno sent a single down the left field line that looked like it would give UConn the lead. Eagles left fielder Amanda Booth scooped up the ball and fired a perfect strike to catcher Ashley Obrest to gun the runner down. The next batter, Ortega, popped out to third to end the inning.
Obrest began the bottom of the eighth on second for the Eagles, and was quickly advanced to third on a perfect sacrifice bunt by senior Jenna Macchi. After Thompson lined out to the second baseman, Ramos strode to the plate. Ramos has been swinging a hot bat of late, having hit three total homeruns during Saturday's doubleheader with Georgia Tech.
Ramos took Crossins pitch over the left-centerfield wall, and the Eagles were 3-1 walk-off winners. The Eagles improve to 10-21 with this dramatic win.
Thompson was completely brilliant in earning her sixth win of the season. She pitched all eight innings, allowing just one run on seven hits and striking out six. She mixed her pitches very well to keep the UConn hitters off-balance all game long, and her steadiness was key to the Eagles victory.
The Eagles play at home again tomorrow, when they host Dartmouth for a doubleheader beginning at 3pm.
--BC--
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