BC: Casey Collects First Career Win vs Toledo 6-5

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BC BASEBALL: Casey Collects First Career Win as Eagles Leave Snowbird with Victory
Martellini goes 2-for-3 with two RBIs

Box Score (PDF) | 2017 Snowbird Overall Statistics | Postgame Interviews (VIDEO)

GAME INFORMATION
Score: Boston College 6, Toledo 5
Records: Toledo (1-11) vs. Boston College (5-6)
Location: North Charlotte Regional Park in North Charlotte, Fla.

BC HIGHLIGHTS

Junior Donovan Casey tallied his first career win, throwing the final 1.2 innings, allowing three hits, one run and one walk. He also notched a run and an RBI in the game.

Sophomore right-hand Jack Nelson struck out a career-high six over four innings of relief work, tying a career high for innings pitched. He allowed just two hits and did not allow a walk or run.

Sophomore Gian Martellini led the Eagles with a 2-for-3 day, recording two RBIs, a run and a walk. He was one of four players to tally four hits in the Snowbird for the Eagles and lead the team with four RBIs.

Junior Jake Palomaki was 1-for-4 with a run and a walk to bring in a run. It was the 98^th walk of his career, which is fourth in BC record books.

KEY PLAYS

With the game tied at four, the Eagles’ patience at the plate paid off, as they scored two runs on a walk and a wild pitch.

Casey allowed one run in the ninth, but left the tying run on first to seal the BC victory.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Toledo jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first. Matt Hansen led off with a double to left and with two down, Dalton Bollinger drove him in with a double to left. AJ Montoya followed with another double to left to give the Rockets the early lead. Sophomore starter LHP Zach Stromberg got a fly ball end the inning.

The Eagles answered in the bottom of the inning. With one down, sophomore Jake Alu and senior Michael Strem tallied back-to-back base hits and moved to second and third on a wild pitch. Casey plated Alu with a groundout to second. Martellini hit the first pitch he saw to left to score Strem. The Eagles threatened by loading the bases on two walks but a strikeout looking ended the inning.

BC took the lead in the second on two errors by Toledo third baseman Riley Campbell. Palomaki singled to center with one down and advanced to second on a groundout. Strem grounded one to Campbell, who mishandled the ball and Palomaki, who was off to third on the pitch, crossed the plate as Campbell’s throw home was high.

Martellini added to the BC lead in the fifth with a two-out RBI. Casey reached on a walk and moved up on a wild pitch. The catcher drove him in with a laser to centerfield.

The Rockets tied the game in the seventh with sophomore RHP Sean Hughes on the hill. It was Hughes’ first appearance since an injury cut short his season last year. Brad Boss drew a lead-off walk and moved to second on a groundout to first. Hansen plated him with a single through the right side. Hansen stole second and moved to third on an overthrow by freshman catcher Aaron Soucy. Riley Campbell brought in the tying run on a sac fly to right. Hughes got out of the inning with a strikeout swinging.

The Eagles got out of a jam in the eighth to keep the game knotted at four. Junior RHP Bobby Skogsbergh started the inning and got a routine groundout before allowing a base hit and walk to put two on. Casey entered the game and gave up a single to center to load the bases. He fielded a come-backer to the mound, got the out at the plate and Martellini – a defensive replacement behind the dish – finished the 123 double play with a throw to first, retiring the Rockets.

BC broke the tie in the bottom of the inning with right-hander reliever Joey Prechtel on the hill, who had come in in the sixth. Martellini led off with a walk and moved to second on a wild pitch. Senior Johnny Adamsadvanced him 90 feet with a sac bunt and new pitcher RHP Casey Johnson walked junior Mitch Bigras and freshman Dante Baldelli to load the bases. Toledo went back to the pen for RHP Luke Shaefer, who threw a wild pitch, allowing Martellini to score the go-ahead run. Freshman Brian Dempsey walked to reload the bases and Shaefer then issued a walk to Palomaki to bring in what turned out to be the game-winning run. Back-to-back strikeouts ended the inning

Toledo scored one in the ninth, but the Eagles were able to preserve the lead and the win. Casey Antonio Bennett to start the inning but when Hansen doubled, Bennett tried to score and the Eagles got him at the plate on the Strem-to-Adams-to-Martellini relay. Campbell plated Hansen with a single through the right side but Casey got a fly ball and grounder to short to end the game.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Strem recorded his fifth outfield assist – third of the Snowbird Classic – on the play in the ninth inning.

Alu made his first career start in the field, starting in left field and moving to right when Casey came in to pitch. He made a diving catch in foul territory in the third inning.

The Eagles collected a win in the first-ever meeting against Toledo.

The Eagles finish their time at the Snowbird Classic with a 3-2 record and improve to 14-6 overall in the fourth years they have played in the in the Florida tournament.

NEXT UP
The Eagles open up the Atlantic Coast Conference schedule with a three-game set at No. 2/3 Florida State on Friday, March 10 at 6 p.m. All three games will be on the ACC Network Extra.