CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia softball team (8-17, 4-13 ACC) continues to play at home this weekend, jumping back into ACC play against Boston College (5-15, 1-8 ACC) with a four-game series at Palmer Park. Play begins on Thursday (April 1) with a doubleheader that starts at 1:30 p.m.

UPDATED SERIES SCHEDULE FOR VIRGINIA vs. BOSTON COLLEGE
Game 1 & 2: Thursday, April 1 – 1:30 p.m./5 p.m.
Game 3: Friday, April 2 – 3 p.m.
Game 4: Saturday, April 3 – 1 p.m.

HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION
Every game of the weekend series will be streamed on the WatchESPN app and is available to customers who have the ACC Network through their television provider. Game two of Thursday’s doubleheader will also be broadcast on the ACC Network. Live stats will also be available for all four games. Links to both the broadcast and live stats are available at VirginiaSports.com. Fans can also get updates by following the program’s official Twitter account (@UVASoftball).

VIRGINIA FACED CHALLENGING SLATE TO START 2021
The Cavaliers have played a challenging slate to start the 2021 season, resulting in the ninth toughest schedule nationally according to the latest nitty gritty report released by the NCAA. It’s the toughest rated schedule played by an ACC team at this point according to the report. Virginia has played 15 games against teams rated in the top 30 of the RPI to date.

THE SERIES WITH BOSTON COLLEGE
Virginia and Boston College have faced each other 33 times with the Eagles leading the all-time series 20-13. Boston College leads the series 9-6 in games played in Charlottesville. The teams have not faced each other since the 2018 season, a sweep at home by the Eagles. Virginia took the middle game of the last series in Charlottesville in 2017, winning it 5-4.

A LOOK AT THE CAVALIERS
Sophomore Katie Goldberg (Atlanta, Ga.) continues to pace the Cavaliers offense this season, hitting at a .329 clip on the season with a team-leading 12 runs scored and 12 RBI. She’s second on the squad with three home runs, tied in that category with junior Donna Friedman (Orange, Calif.). Junior Tori Gilbert (Mechanicsville, Va.) leads the team in home runs with four this season.

Mikayla Houge (Collins, Iowa) leads the Cavaliers in innings pitched (45.2) and has made 10 starts in the circle with 12 total appearances. She holds a 3.68 ERA to lead all Virginia pitchers with seven appearances or more on the year and has struck out a team-leading 31 batters. She is holding opponents to a .237 batting average against. Aly Rayle (Herndon, Va.), the team-leader in strikeouts a year ago with 74, returned to the starting lineup in the last ACC weekend against NC State with two starts. She has 18 strikeouts through 18.1 innings of work and has limited opponents to a .176 batting average against in her seven appearances.

A LOOK AT THE EAGLES
Boston College is led at the plate by Ellie Mataya with a .394 batting average as the junior outfielder leads the Eagles with eight runs scored and nine RBI. Gianna Boccagno and Jenna Ergle lead the team in home runs with three each. As a squad, Boston College is batting at a .220 clip and has nine home runs with 50 RBI and 55 runs scored.

In the circle, the Eagles are led by Susannah Anderson with a 3.06 ERA through 11 stats and 66.1 innings pitched. She has turned in seven complete games with 35 walks and 49 strikeouts. Anderson is 3-8 on the season.

UP NEXT FOR THE HOOS
Virginia will continue to play at home on Tuesday (April 6) when the Cavaliers host Liberty at 4 p.m.