Boston College Softball Splits Games at USF Invitational

Eagles defeat Marist but fall to Saint Joseph's in opening day action

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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The Boston College Softball team (5-7) opened the USF Invitational with a 10-7 victory over Marist, led by a career-high 13 strikeouts from pitcher Kelly Colleran. However, the Eagles then fell 8-2 to Saint Joseph's in the second game of the day.

Why it matters

The split results in the opening day of the USF Invitational show the Eagles' potential, with a dominant pitching performance against Marist, but also areas for improvement as they look to build momentum heading into the rest of the tournament and the season.

The details

In the first game, BC jumped out to an early 6-0 lead over Marist, powered by hits from Kae DePerio, Meghan Schouten, and Janis Espinoza. Espinoza also stole home in the third inning. Colleran was dominant in the circle, striking out a career-high 13 batters. The Eagles held on for a 10-7 win despite a late Marist rally. In the second game, BC took an early 1-0 lead over Saint Joseph's, but the Hawks scored five runs in the second inning and added two more late to win 8-2.

  • The USF Invitational began on Friday, February 21, 2026.
  • The Eagles' first game against Marist took place on Friday evening.
  • The second game against Saint Joseph's also occurred on Friday night.

The players

Kelly Colleran

The Boston College pitcher who recorded a career-high 13 strikeouts in the win over Marist.

Kae DePerio

The Boston College player who reached base safely in seven consecutive games heading into the USF Invitational.

Abby Ptak

The Boston College player who extended her hitting streak to nine games in the opening day action.

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What’s next

The USF Invitational continues on Saturday, February 22, 2026, with the Eagles facing Colgate and host USF.

The takeaway

The split results on opening day of the USF Invitational showcase the Eagles' potential, with a dominant pitching performance against Marist, but also room for improvement as they look to build momentum heading into the rest of the tournament and the season.