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April 27, 2006
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The University of Virginia softball team travels to Chestnut Hill, Mass., for a three-game Atlantic Coast Conference series this weekend at Boston College’s Shea Field. The series is scheduled to start with a doubleheader on Saturday (Apr. 29) at 1:00 p.m., followed by a single game at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday (Apr. 30).
The Cavaliers enter the weekend series with a 26-21 overall record and a 6-11 mark in the ACC. Virginia is coming off a 5-2 win over NC State in the final contest of a three-game set on Sunday (Apr. 23) at The Park.
Boston College is 19-23 overall and 4-14 in the ACC. The Eagles are coming off a 5-3 loss at Providence College on Wednesday (Apr. 26). Last weekend, Boston College took two of three games from Maryland.
This weekend’s series marks the first time UVa and Boston College meet in softball. It is also believed to be the first time Virginia has played a softball game in Massachusetts. The Cavaliers are 5-2 all-time against teams from Massachusetts. UVa is 2-0 vs. Harvard, 1-0 vs. Boston University, and 2-2 against Massachusetts.
Third-year designated player Amy McKean (Kent, Wash.) leads Virginia with a .375 batting average (30-80). She is also tied with fourth-year shortstop Sara Larquier (Burbank, Calif.) for the team lead in home runs with seven. Larquier leads UVa with 26 RBI, while McKean is second with 24. Fourth-year center fielder Jessica Taylor (Philadelphia, Pa.) is hitting .281 (41-146) and has scored 28 runs, while second-year left fielder Lindsey Preuss (La Plata, Md.) is hitting .279 (31-111) with a team-best 10 doubles. Fourth-year Erin Horn (Tallahassee, Fla.) leads the Cavaliers in the circle. She is 11-9 with three saves and a 1.91 ERA. Horn has struck out 153 batters in 110 innings and is averaging 9.7 strikeouts per game which ranks 22nd among all Division I pitchers. Horn and third-year Coty Tolar (Marietta, Ga.) are tied for 23rd in the country with three saves apiece. UVa also ranked 11th in the nation with 1.66 stolen bases per game (78 steals in 47 games).