Boston College Athletics
Softball Defeats Stetson, Edged by Michigan State on Opening Day
February 11, 2011 | Softball
Feb. 11, 2011
Deland, Fla. -
Michigan State Box Score 
Stetson Box Score
The Boston College Softball team opened the 2011 season at the Stetson Lead-Off Classic with a doubleheader against the Michigan State Spartans and the Stetson Hatters on Friday, Feb. 11. Junior Brittany Wilkins lead the Eagles (1-1) with two home runs and four RBIs in five at-bats on the day.
In the circle, both Allison Gage and Nicole D’Argento threw complete games. Gage allowed two runs on sevens hits and three walks against Michigan State (1-0) and D’Argento struck out seven and allowed one run on four hits against Stetson (1-0).
The Spartans took a one run lead in the top of the first. Bracamonte singled through the ride to lead off the game, advanced to third on a sac bunt and single to center, before scoring on an infield grounder.
The Eagles threatened in the bottom half of the inning, but did not score. D’Argento drew a walk and moved up on senior Rene Delagrammaticas’ sac bunt. A strikeout split a pair of BC hit-by-pitches from Wilkins and senior Gemma Ypparila to load the bases, but a ground out to first ended the inning.
Both sides put runners on, but failed to score in the second and went down in order in the third.
In the fourth, the Eagles and the Spartan had runners in scoring position, but did not bring them in. Following a pop up and two Michigan State walks, 3b snagged a liner to initiate a 5-4 double play to get out of the inning. After the first two BC batters were put out, sophomore Maria Pandolfo reached on a throwing error from the short stop and advanced to second on a single to left by junior Alison Kooistra. Both advanced on a passed ball, but the Eagles grounded out to first to end the inning.
Boston College pressured again in the fifth. After taking down Spartan 1-2-3, D’Argento singled up the middle and was promptly advanced by another sac bunt from Delagrammaticas. Wilkins was then hit by a pitch for the second time and junior Lizzy Ploen was sent in to pinch run. Advancing D’Argento to third, junior Ali Lynette-Krech reached on a fielder’s choice and immediately stole the empty bag at second. However, an interference call on the Eagles at second would retire the side.
Neither side generated any offense in the sixth.
Michigan State added one run in the seventh and held on for the win, 2-0. With one out, K. Fox singled to second and Bracamonte drove her in with a double to left.
In the bottom half, Delagrammaticas drew a one out walk, but two BC strikeouts ended the game.
In the game against Stetson, the Eagles took a 2-0 lead in the first. Following a one-out single from Delagrammaticas, Wilkins delivered the first BC homerun of the season to take the lead.
The Hatters responded with a run of their own. Morello drew a lead-off walk, stole second and advanced to third on an infield groundout. With an even count, Perna singled to right to score Morello, before the Eagles got out of the inning. Both sides went down in order in the second.
BC added four runs to increase its lead, 6-1, in the third. After a D’Argento was hit by a pitch and advance to second on a sac bunt, Wilkins hit her second homer of the game – this time to left center. Freshman Nicole Koszowski came in to pinch run for her classmate Tory Speer, who drew a walk, and was driven in on Ypparila’s double to right. Lynette-Krech then drew a walk and moved up on a single to left from Pandolfo, loading the bases. Another single to left from Kooistra plated Ypparila from third for the final run of the third.
The Eagles increased their lead, 7-1, with the fourth frame. With one out, Delagrammaticas doubled to left and Wilkins drew an intentional walk. Freshman Ronnie Mae Ayers came in to run for Wilkins and the runners moved up on a past ball from the Hatters. A fielder’s choice left Delagrammaticas out at the plate and Speer on first. Ypparila then drove in Ayers with a single up the middle, before Stetson got out of the inning.
Neither Boston College nor Stetson tallied any runs over the fifth and sixth innings.
BC tacked on one more run in the seventh to complete the scoring, 8-1. Freshman Bree Tanke came in to pinch hit for Pandolfo, drew a four-pitch walk to lead-off and was replaced by Pandolfo at first. After a BC strikeout, Pandolfo moved to third on two straight wild pitches and scored on a groundball from D’Argento.
The Eagles continue the tournament Saturday, Feb. 12 at 1:30 p.m. against Michigan State. BC will face off against Stetson at approximately 6:30 p.m. later that day. Live stats are available through GoHatters.com.
