Collegiate Times

The Virginia Tech softball team (4-2 ACC) swept Boston College (3-3 ACC) in a three-game series this past weekend to improve to 24-8 on the season.

“Boston College swept UVa last week and they were coming in here on a high — for us to bring them down was great,” said senior Kristina Cruz.

Tech started the series on Saturday by winning a doubleheader against Boston College, 9-1 and 11-10.

The Hokies scored five runs in the first inning of the first game, thanks to a combination of hits and two errors from the Eagles.

An inning later, Tech added two more runs to the scoreboard. Boston College’s only run came in the fourth off a home run, but Tech ended the game an inning later when two runs scored and the run-ahead rule was put into effect.

Sophomore Jasmin Harrell (W, 10-2) only allowed four hits and struck out six.

“I feel that I did pretty well,” Harrell said. “I was supported by our team’s hits and runs.”

Junior Kristen Froehlich and sophomore Betty Rose had two hits each, including Rose’s double that scored a run and ended the game in the fifth.

After their opening win, the Hokies rallied from behind to win the second game, 11-10.

Boston College loaded the bases in the first inning but only scored one run, allowing Tech to come back in the bottom of the first.

After three walks to load the bases, the Hokies were able to gain the lead, 2-1, thanks to a single from Froehlich and a sacrifice fly from Rose, each drove in a run.

In the top of the second, senior pitcher Kenzie Roark gave up a leadoff triple, a hit and a wild pitch, which led to a 2-2 tie.

She then walked three to load the bases before giving up a grand slam, allowing the Eagles to take the lead, 6-2. After walking another batter, head coach Scot Thomas pulled Roark for Harrell.

“Am I happy about my performance?” Roark said. “No. But can I dwell on it? Absolutely not.”

Tech came back in the bottom of the second to load the bases on three walks and scored a run on a fourth walk. However, the Hokies ended up leaving the bases loaded and were still down, 6-3.

The Hokies rallied in the bottom of the third, taking a 7-6 lead they would never relinquish.

Twenty walks were recorded between all of the pitchers in the game.

“We set a record for walks between pitchers,” Roark said. “A lot of it had to do with umpires because you don’t see that many walks and definitely not that many home runs.”

Harrell (W, 11-2) gave up three hits and four walks while striking out three.

Tech finalized the sweep with a 4-2 win over Boston College on Sunday afternoon.

“We did a much better job yesterday on attacking the ball and being ready to come up to bat,” Cruz said.

With the game tied 2-2 entering the bottom of the fifth, pinch hitter Marra Hvozdovic hit a hard single down the third base line that tipped off the third basemen’s glove, allowing pinch runner and sophomore Sarah Ashby to score from second base.

This gave the Hokies a 3-2 lead and would be all the scoring they needed to secure the victory.

“We didn’t always have a clutch hit when people were on base, but we had the clutch hit when we absolutely needed it,” Harrell said.

Roark, who struggled all weekend, pitched the first three innings before being taken out for Harrell (W, 12-2) in the fourth.

Tech will play Florida State (16-17, 2-4 ACC) this weekend in Tallahassee with a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m. and a game Sunday at noon.

“Regardless of record, the game is in Tallahassee,” Cruz said. “It’s always big, and it’s a big trip for us, but coming out of there with three wins would be great.”

A version of this article appeared in the Mar 30 issue of the Collegiate Times.