Virginia walks off with series win over Boston College

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Virginia got its first ACC series win at Palmer Park on Saturday, taking a 2-1 victory in 12 innings over Boston College to close the four-game set.

With the bases loaded in the 12th inning, Arizona Ritchie (Stafford, Va.) sent a chopper back up the middle to score Leah Boggs (Mansfield, Ohio) and lock up the series.

Mikayla Houge (3-5) picked up the win, working the final 5.1 innings in relief of starter Aly Rayle (Herndon, Va.). Houge (Collins, Iowa) limited Boston College to three hits with two walks and two strikeouts in her time in the circle.

In the start, Rayle worked 6.1 innings with nine strikeouts and two walks while limiting the Eagles to three hits and one run.

Susannah Anderson (4-10) took the loss for Boston College, allowing the two runs on 10 hits with a walk and six strikeouts in her complete-game effort.

Boston College (6-18, 2-11 ACC) scored first, pushing a run home in the third inning when Nicole Giery doubled to center to score C.C. Cook.

Virginia (11-18, 7-14 ACC) answered in the sixth inning when Tori Gilbert (Mechanicsville, Va.) drove a ball into right field with two outs to score Emma McBride (Magnolia, Texas) from second. Gilbert narrowly missed on a three-run home run earlier in the bat as her ball was rule foul as it hooked past the left field foul pole.

The defense and pitching held up for the two teams down the stretch as each side turned away chances before Virginia broke through in the 12th inning. Back-to-back singles opened the inning before a sac bunt advanced the runners into scoring position. Pinch hitter Gabby Baylog (Waxhaw, N.C.) drew a walk to load the bases and bring Ritchie to the plate. The Cavalier second baseman then drove the second pitch she saw back up the middle to bring home the winning run.