Softball Visits Virginia for First Time Since 2017
March 31, 2021 | Softball
Thursday's series opener on ACC Network
BC Visits Virginia for First Time since 2017
• Boston College visits Virginia for the first time since 2017 when the two ACC foes meet on the softball diamond for a four-game series this week.
• ACC Network has the national television broadcast for the series opener Thursday at 5 p.m. ACC Network Extra has coverage of Friday's doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m. and Saturday's series finale at 1 p.m.
• BC heads south to Charlottesville after a tough four-game series against No. 12 Florida State. The Eagles went toe-to-toe with the Seminoles all weekend long at Harrington Athletics Village.
Team 38
• This is the 38th season of Boston College softball. All-time, BC is 871-843-3.
• The Eagles have three NCAA appearances in program history.
• In ACC play, BC is 331-424 since joining the conference in the 2005-06 academic year.
Inside the UVA Series
• Boston College and Virginia have met 33 times on the diamond with BC leading the series, 20-13.
• All 33 meetings have come since the Eagles joined the ACC in 2006.
• BC has won four straight in the series, including a three-game sweep of the Cavaliers in Chestnut Hill in 2018 (8-0, 10-6, 3-0).
• In the Eagles' last visit to Charlottesville, BC took two of three, including a 10-3 win in the rubber game of the series on March 11, 2017.
Thou Shall Not Run on GB
• Junior catcher Gianna Boccagno has one of the strongest arms behind the plate in the country. The Florida native leads the ACC with 11 runners caught stealing in 2021.
• In all, opponents are just 11-of-22 in stolen base attempts against Boccagno this season.
• Boccagno is also fourth in the ACC and 44th nationally in hit by pitch per game (0.33).
• BC leads the ACC with 13 runners caught stealing.
ACC Team Leaders Caught Stealing
1. Boston College 13
2. Notre Dame 10
3. Syracuse 9
Pittsburgh 9
Another No-No for No. 1
• Junior pitcher Susannah Anderson tossed her second career no-hitter to lead the Eagles to a 10-0 victory over Massachusetts in five innings on March 12. Anderson struck out six and allowed just two base runners (two hit batters).
• Anderson moved into sole possession of third place in Boston College history with her 10th career shutout.
• The Eagles got out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning after back-to-back walks set the table. Kristin Giery drove in a run with an RBI single, followed by a two-run double from Emme Martinez into right center field.
• BC extended its lead to 4-0 after two innings of play as Giery notched her second RBI of the afternoon via a walk.
• The Eagles plated three more in the third as CC Cook drove two runs with a double and Ellie Mataya extended the lead to 7-0 with a RBI double.
• BC plated three more to make it 10-0 after four innings. The frame was highlighted by a two-RBI single by Nicole Giery.
• The Giery sisters highlighted the BC offense, as they were 4-for-5 with two doubles and four RBI combined.
• BC finished the game with a season-high seven doubles.
• Anderson got a first inning lead and never looked back, as she cruised to the complete game, no-hitter. She retired the last 10 batters she faced.
More Notes on No. 1
• In BC's final game of the FGCU Kickoff Classic last season, Susannah Anderson pitched a gem for the Eagles. She threw her first-career complete-game no-hitter in BC's 1-0 win, totaling 10 strikeouts on no walks and two HBP.
• The no-hitter capped a 2-1 weekend for the Alexandria, Virginia native, who threw 21 total innings while striking out 25 batters.
• In 2021, Anderson ranks fourth in the ACC and 29th nationally with three shutouts.
• Anderson is ninth in the ACC with 49 strikeouts this season.
Virginia Homecoming
• This week's four-game series will be a homecoming for five Eagles as they return to their home state of Virginia.
• Returning home to the Commonwealth are pitcher Susannah Anderson (Alexandria), catcher/outfielder Maddy Carpe (Ashburn), infielder Kristin Giery (Vienna), infielder Nicole Giery (Vienna) and outfielder Ellie Mataya (Burke).
Incoming Recruiting Class Ranked 21st Nationally
• Boston College softball head coach Amy Kvilhaug announced in November that five student-athletes have signed National Letters of Intent to play softball for the Eagles beginning in the fall of 2021. The five-member recruiting class has two players from Illinois, along with Rhode Island, Florida and California.
• Joining the program include OF Kali Case of Palos Heights, Ill., RHP Abby Dunning from Burr Ridge, Ill., OF/1B Darien McDonough of Lincoln, R.I., C/OF Hannah Slike from Chula Vista, Calif. and MIF/UTL Zoe Hines of DeBary, Fla.
• "With our incoming class, we've certainly added athleticism, speed, and really good pitching to the program," said Kvilhaug." We are looking for immediate contributions from the entire class. Throughout the pandemic, we haven't had a chance to see them in over a year, however we have kept close tabs virtually and have watched each one grow and improve. The work ethic of this crew is unmatched. This group is super determined to come in, get to work, and really elevate the level for BC Softball. We can't wait for their arrival to BC."
• The recruiting class is ranked 21st nationally according to Extra Inning Softball.
Back on the Dirt
• BC returned to the diamond for the first time since March 8, 2020 with four games in Jacksonville against Jacksonville University and the University of North Florida.
• BC opened the season with a 4-0 loss at JU before picking up the first win of the year at UNF. Susannah Anderson was dominant in the circle for the Eagles, going the distance with a two-hit shutout in the 2-0 win over the Ospreys.
• UNF captured a 3-1 doubleheader split before the Eagles came up just short, losing 3-2 to JU on Sunday. BC stranded 14 runners in the loss to the Dolphins.
Getting Started on the Right Note
• Sophomore shortstop Djhane Valido had a big weekend with the bat against Jacksonville and North Florida.
• Valido led BC with a .333 batting average, totaling three hits on the weekend, including a double and one RBI. She had a career-high three hits against UNF.
Leading Things Off
• Junior center fielder Ellie Mataya has led off for BC in all 19 games this year. She leads BC in batting at .394 this season. She ranks first on the team in total bases (35), doubles (5), RBI (9), slugging percentage (.530), triples (2) and on-base percentage (.444). She is 6-for-6 in stolen base attempts this season to lead the Eagles.
• Mataya's eight multi-hit games rank first for BC in 2021. She had the longest hitting streak of any Eagle in 2021 over six games.
All-ACC Emme
• Emme Martinez, who was an All-ACC Freshman team honoree in 2018, finished her sophomore campaign with a .321 average, along with 50 hits and a team-high 24 RBI en route to All-ACC second team honors in 2019.
• A native of Hemet, California, Martinez had 12 multiple-hit games and seven multiple-RBI games in 2019.
• For her career, Martinez is the active leader on the team in hits, doubles and RBI. She is second on the team this season with four multi-hit games and tied for the team lead two multi-RBI games.
Giery Connection
• The Giery sisters - Kristin and Nicole - have been two mainstays in the BC lineup this season. Nicole has started all 20 games she has played in her freshman season, mostly playing at second base. She is hitting .237 with three doubles and four RBI on the season. Kristin has played in 18 games with 14 starts - the majority of them right next to her sister at first base. Kristin is hitting .211 with one homer and six RBI.
News and Notes
• Ellie Mataya is seventh in the ACC in triples per game ... Emme Martinez is the third toughest batter to strikeout in the league ... Susannah Anderson is seventh in the ACC in innings pitched (66.1) and fifth in games started (11) ... Anderson is fourth in the ACC in shutouts (3) and fifth in complete games (7).
