BC BASEBALL Tallies First Win Over No. Illinois 9-1

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BC BASEBALL Tallies First Win, Allowing Just Two Hits on the Day
Bigras leads the way with three RBIs and plated game-winning run

Box Score | Postgame Interviews (VIDEO)

GAME INFORMATION

Score: Boston College 9, Northern Illinois 1
Records: Northern Illinois (1-4) vs. Boston College (1-3)
Location: L. Dale Mitchell Park in Norman, Okla.BC HIGHLIGHTS

Sophomore right-handed starter Jacob Stevens threw seven innings, which tied a career high, and allowed just two hits, one unearned run and three walks while striking out six. Through 13.0 innings this season, he has not allowed an earned run.

Junior Mitch Bigras led the way at the plate with three RBIs, including driving in the go-ahead run in the seventh.

Classmate Jake Palomaki was 1-for-2 with a two-run double – the only extra-base hit of the game – and two walks. He increased his career walks total to 94, seventh in BC record books. He has reached base in the last six games, dating back to last season.

The pitching combination of Stevens, sophomore LHP Zach Stromberg and senior RHP Luke Fernandes allowed just two hits in the contest. They struck out seven and walked three while Stromberg and Fernandes combined to throw two scoreless innings of relief without a hit.

Juniors Donovan Casey and Scott Braren were both 2-for-4 on the day, scoring a run while senior Michael Strem drove in two.

KEY PLAYS

The Eagles trailed, 1-0, heading to the bottom of the seventh, but they loaded the bases and freshman Brian Dempsey was hit by a pitch to tie the game. Bigras put the Eagles on top with a sacrifice fly to center.

BC did not look back, scoring the next seven runs – two more in the seventh and five in the eighth – for the best offensive output the young 2017 season.

HOW IT HAPPENED

In the scoreless battle, NIU threatened in the third, but the Eagles were able to keep the Huskies off the board. With two down and a runner at first, Stevens issued a walk and a fielding error extended the inning and loaded the bases. Jesus Tovar hit a hard chopper to first, which bounced off Bigras’s chest to second baseman Palomaki. He threw to Stevens covering first to end the inning.

The Huskies broke the scoreless tie in the seventh. Brandon Mallder drew a lead-off walk before Stevens got a strikeout for the first out. A grounder moved Mallder to second and a balk advanced him to third. He scored on a passed ball before a groundout ended the inning.

The Eagles took the lead with their first runs in the bottom of the inning. Casey and Braren tallied back-to-back base hits while senior Johnny Adams drew a walk to load the bases. New pitcher LHP Jon Savarise hit pinch hitter Dempsey on a full count to tie the game. Bigras brought in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly to center. After a walk, Palomaki faced righty Ryne Blanton and doubled off the wall in right to make it 4-1 Eagles.

BC scored five in the eighth to take a commanding lead. With RHP Matthew Hoffman on the hill, Braren and sophomore Gian Martellini singled and Adams drew another walk to load the bases. Dempsey recorded his second RBI of the day by walking for the first run of the inning. Bigras laced on through the left side to make it a 7-1 lead. With two outs, Palomaki reached on his second walk of the day to reload the bases and Strem hit a single to left to plate two more before the end of the inning.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

With the victory, the Eagles improved to 5-0 against Northern Illinois. The first four meetings came in 2016 at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Ariz., when BC swept the Huskies to start the season.

Dempsey recorded two RBIs and scored twice without an at bat in the game, coming in as a pinch hitter in the seventh. He was hit by a pitch and drew a walk with the bases loaded.

Sophomore Jake Alu made his first appearance of the season, pinching running for Braren in the eighth. He scored a run.

Strem recorded his first outfield assist of the year in the fifth inning, gunning down a runner at second base.

UP NEXT
The Eagles take on Villanova on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 4:30 p.m. ET back at L. Dale Mitchell Park.