With the game tied at four runs entering the top of the seventh, Lydia Castro hit a solo home run to give the Massachusetts softball team a midweek game victory against Boston College, 5-4.
The long ball was Castro’s first home run of the season and fourth of her collegiate career. It was also the third consecutive game where UMass (9-22, 3-6 Atlantic 10) has hit a home run. Castro scored three hits and three RBIs in the game and set a season high for RBIs in a single game at three. It ranks second in her career behind a four RBI game against Saint Louis last season.
The top of the fifth inning for the Minutewomen gave them a drive to rally. Brooke Musch showed off her speed to lead off the inning with a lead off bunt to put a runner on first with no outs. Riain Keefe continued the offense with a walk to put runners on first and second with no outs. After a fielding error from Abby Ptak from behind the plate, Musch scored, tying the game for UMass.
As the game was tied, Castro entered for her third plate appearance of the game. Castro hit a base hit that got through the gap between shortstop and third, allowing Keefe to score as UMass took its second lead of the game. She currently has three multi-RBI games this season and 10 throughout her collegiate career along with nine RBIs on the season.
With the Minutewomen up one, UMass was poised to extend the lead as Sarah Keagy stepped up to the plate. Keagy entered with a two-game hitting streak and the opportunity to extend it to two entering as a pinch hitter for Odyssey Torres. Keagy hit a base hit up the middle to center field, allowing Castro to score and extend the lead to two.
The Eagles (16-16, 3-9 Atlantic Coast Conference) quickly answered in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game following a two out, two-run double by Emma Jackson. Jackson scored three hits and three RBIs during the game.
BC is coming off a 7-0 shutout loss to UConn on Tuesday and its second consecutive loss in a row after losing to the third game in its ACC series against Pittsburgh. UMass was entering with a single game losing streak after losing the third game of its three-game series against George Mason.
Keefe got the momentum started for the Minutewomen with a leadoff triple to the left field wall off Bailey Kendziorski. With Keefe on third and two outs in the top of the first, Castro hit her fifth double of the season, scoring the first of the game and giving UMass an early lead. Keefe earned her eighth multi-hit game and third time in the last four outings.
The Eagles welcomed Kendziorski for the 12th time of the season. Kendziorski entered with a 3.94 ERA over an 81.2 innings pitched span and 54 strikeouts. Her last four starting appearances were complete games. Over this frame, she has given up 16 earned runs with seven of them against NC State.
BC would tie up the game after trailing by one in the bottom of the third and take the lead during this last half. The inning opened with Gator Robinson taking a walk against Bolton and scoring due to a wild pitch advancing her to second and a triple from teammate Emma Jackson to send her home.
The offense continued for the Eagles with Jordan Stephens hitting an RBI double allowing Jackson to score giving BC its first lead of the game. Stephens leads the team with runs based in with 19. She also leads the team with six home runs and batting average with a .326.
Julianne Bolton made her 14th starting pitcher appearance of her senior year career at UMass and her 100th appearance.
Bolton went 3.1 innings with three strikeouts, all coming on a third pitch looking. She exited the game in the bottom of the fourth with the Minutewomen in the jam as the Eagles had the opportunity to extend their lead. BC had the bases loaded with only one out. As Natalee Horton entered the game relieving Bolton on the mound, she faced Robinson at the plate. Robinson hit a ground ball causing a double play to retire the side.
UMass will play its sixth through eighth consecutive road games with a visit to Dayton, Ohio for a three series against Dayton beginning on Saturday, April 5. First pitch is set to begin at 12 p.m.
Jonathan Murgida can be reached at [email protected] and followed on X @jonathanmurgida.
