Chestnut Hill, Mass. – Boston College softball continues its southern stint in Tampa Fla. at the Fonseca Memorial Tournament hosted by the University of South Florida. Starting Thursday, the Eagles will face Kansas, DePaul, Yale, Indiana State and the host South Florida over three days at USF Softball Stadium.
A Look at Fonseca Memorial Tournament at USF
Kansas opened the 2026 season with the USF-Rawlings Invitational earning two run-rule victories over Bethune-Cookman and Illinois State, scoring 25 total runs across both games. Strong outings in the circle, including an eight-strikeout performance from Chloe Barber vs. Michigan. The Jayhawks defeated FGCU 5-2 in a midweek matchup.
DePaul opened the season with a 6-0 weekend and swept the BIG EAST Weekly Awards. Jolie Adams hit .556 (10-for-18) with four extra-base hits, six RBI, seven runs scored, and a .889 slugging percentage.Hannah Messer went 3–0 with a save, a 0.40 ERA, 17 strikeouts in 17.1 innings, and holding opponents to a .177 average. Addy Poe hit .421 with eight RBI, an inside-the-park home run, two stolen bases, and a perfect defensive weekend.
Yale will be opening their season against BC. In the 2025 season the Bulldogs went 19-27 and finished sixth in the Ivy League.
The Bulls of South Florida posted back-to-back run-rule victories over Kansas and Bethune-Cookman to highlight the Rawlings Invitational. In its two victories this season, South Florida has outscored its opponents 22-4. McKenna Schroding is currently tied for first in the NCAA with a 0.00 ERA. With a WHIP of 0.50, McKenna is tied for 12th in the country and second in the American. They then went on to sweep Delaware in two shutouts on Tuesday night.
Indiana State enters the weekend coming off a competitive opening slate at the Stetson Tournament. The Sycamores opened the season with a shutout victory over UT Martin and highlighted the weekend with a 7–3 win over Seton Hall, powered by a balanced offensive attack and solid work in the circle. Indiana State received contributions throughout the lineup, with Madison Poulson delivering consistent run production and Mallory Chavez providing power at the plate.
Opening Weekend Recap
The team opened the 2026 season at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Florida, finishing the weekend with a 2-3 record against a competitive field that included multiple regional and national contenders. Head coach Beth Krysiak earned her first win in maroon and gold in the season opener against EKU.
Abby Ptak recorded the first home run of the season and led the team in RBI over the weekend. Freshman Emily Van Cleef picked up her first collegiate win in a 3-1 victory over Longwood. Kelly Colleran recorded six strikeouts in the season opener against EKU. Halie Pappion earned her first career save as multiple freshmen made immediate impacts across the lineup and in the circle, highlighted by Emma Knight’s RBI double in her first career at-bat as an Eagle and Nicole Riddell’s first collegiate hit, a single up the middle in her first career start.
Bullpen Crew
Seven pitchers made appearances over the first five games. Van Cleef delivered a strong opening weekend in the circle, posting a 2.63 ERA with a 1–0 record while working 8.0 innings. She allowed just four hits and three runs, struck out six, and held opposing hitters to a .138 batting average. The freshman also earned all-tournament honors for her performance.
Colleran led the staff in strikeouts, recording seven punchouts across 7.0 innings of work. She made two appearances on the weekend, going 1–1, and provided length in the circle
Pappion contributed valuable innings out of the bullpen, appearing in two games and throwing 6.0 innings on the weekend. She recorded five strikeouts, limited opponents to a .217 batting average and earned a save, providing steady relief support.
PTAK ATTACK!
Ptak led the Eagles at the plate over the weekend, hitting .400 with a 1.105 OPS. She recorded six hits, including a home run, drove in four runs, and scored five times, finishing with a .667 slugging percentage and a .438 on-base percentage to anchor the offense throughout the tournament.
Sneaky Sammy
Sammy Horn finished with a perfect fielding performance that consisted of 15 putouts, nine assists on 24 chances. She also hit .333 with a .745 OPS, recording five hits, driving in one run, and reaching base at a .412 clip to provide steady impact on both sides of the game.
UP NEXT
BC will return to USF Softball Stadium for the USF Invitational starting Feb. 20 at 2 p.m. against Marist.
