Eagles Kick Off 2018 Season with Six Games in Texas

Friday, February 9

College Station, Texas

11:00 AM

Boston College

Texas Tech

Eagles Kick Off 2018 Season with Six Games in Texas

February 08, 2018 | Softball

Game Notes (PDF)Live Stats SECN Live Stream

BC participates in Aggie Classic; play six games in four days

By: Athletic Communications

THE FACTS

WHERE: College Station, Texas and San Marcos, Texas

WHEN: Friday, Feb. 9 at 11 a.m. and 6:15 p.m. | Saturday, Feb. 10 at 11 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. | Sunday, Feb. 11 at 10 a.m. | Monday, Feb. 12 at 2 p.m.

HOW TO FOLLOW:
Stream (Texas A&M games only): Link
Stream Texas State: Link
Live Stats Aggie Classic: Link
Live Stats vs. Texas State: Link
Twitter: @BC_Softball

OPPONENTS: Texas Tech | Texas A&M | University of Houston | Texas State

ALL-TIME RECORDS vs. OPPONENTS: 0-0 vs. Texas Tech| 0-3 vs. Texas A&M | 1-1 vs. Houston | Texas State (0-0)

PAST HISTORY

For the first time under seventh-year head coach Ashley Obrest, the Eagles will start the season in The Lone Star State.
It will be the first time in program history that the Eagles will face off against Texas Tech. The Raiders finished the 2017 campaign with a 19-36 record and 4-14 record in the Big 12.
BC faces sixth-ranked Texas A&M next for the fourth time in program history and the first time since 2003.
The Eagles are 0-3 in those meetings. The Aggies finished the 2017 season with a 47-13 (16-7 SEC) record. Texas A&M advanced to the second round of the College World Series last year.
Next, the Eagles will take on Houston for the third time in the program's history. BC split its two-game series against Houston last season, winning 12-4 and then losing, 7-3. The Cougars compiled a 30-25 record last year with a 12-6 record in the AAC.
On Monday, Feb. 12, BC will travel to San Marcos, Texas to take on Texas State. This will be the first meeting between the two teams in program history. The Bobcats finished the 2017 campaign with a 42-17 record and an 18-8 mark in the Sun Belt Conference. Though not in the top 25 in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll, Texas State did receive 35 votes after advancing to the NCAA College Station Regional last year.

WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE EAGLES

Boston College took the program to new heights in 2017 with a program-best 14 wins in the ACC. The team finished with a 31-22 record, marking its third 30-win campaign in four seasons.
The Eagles finished third in the conference and won six of their eight ACC series. They earned the fourth seed in the ACC Tournament, which tied their highest seeding since joining the conference.
BC will return eight positional starters and three arms.
The Eagles' pitching staff ranked in the top three in the ACC in seven categories: first in batters struck out looking (100), second in ERA (2.49), second in opposing batting average (.229), third in fewest hits allowed (299), third in strikeouts (264), third in fewest home runs allowed (19) and third in saves (five).
BC returns senior co-captain Jessica Dreswick who broke the Boston College softball record for wins in a single season when she earned her 20 victory on April 23 against Georgia Tech. Dreswick is sixth all-time in career appearances with 110 and tied for fourth all-time in games started at 74. The senior is sixth all-time in inning pitched (464.2) and tenth all-time with 28 complete games. She is tied for seventh all-time in shutouts (5) and holds sixth-place all-time with a 2.74 ERA.
Redshirt junior and fellow captain Allyson Frei, who missed the 2017 season due to injury, also returns fully healthy for the Eagles. The right-hander is seventh all-time in career ERA (2.78), fourth all-time in opponent batting average (.243), fourth all-time strikeouts per seven innings (5.81) and 10th in wins (35).
In the batter's box, seniors Annie Murphy and Chloe Sharabba have cracked the top 10 in a handful of the Boston College career batting records. Murphy is fourth all-time for career batting average (.315) and Chloe sits at ninth place all-time (.305).
Sharabba is currently ninth all-time in career slugging percentage (.468) and Murphy has claimed 11 (.444). Sharabba is also tied for eighth all-time in runs scored with 95.
Junior Lexi DiEmmanuele brings the speed on the bases for BC as she was first on the team and third in the ACC with 30 stolen bases last season. She is currently second all-time in stolen bases for the Eagles. As a team, BC also ranked third with 77 stolen bags.

QUOTES FROM COACH OBREST

On goals for the start of the season:
"Our goal every year is obviously to get a little bit better. We were happy with our third place finish last year, but not satisfied. We're hungry this year to finish with a better seed. I think we have a good group that has returned from last year and we've added a couple of freshmen that are going to see significant playing time, so we're excited."

On having pitchers Jessica Dreswick and Allyson Frei fully healthy:
"We're very excited to have Ally back this year. She's back to her old self. She's strong and she's looked really good in all of the practices. It's nice to essentially have two number one pitchers this year."

On the game plan for the weekend:
"I think it's a great tournament to open up the year. Our goal is to go out there and be competitive and to win. We've been working hard for the last month or so and I know the girls are itching to get out on dirt and play a different team. We're going to be competitive and aggressive and we're going to focus on playing our style of ball."