BC BASEBALL: Ninth-Inning Rally Comes Up Short

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BC BASEBALL: Ninth-Inning Rally Comes Up Short vs. Top-Ranked Louisville

The Eagles score three in the ninth on RBIs by Adams and Martellini

Box Score (PDF)

GAME INFORMATION
Score: No. 1 Louisville 6, Boston College 4
Records: Boston College (6-10, 1-4 ACC) at Louisville (18-0, 5-0 ACC)
Location: Jim Patterson Stadium in Louisville, Ky.
Series: Louisville wins the series and leads, 2-0

BC HIGHLIGHTS

Senior Johnny Adams led the way for the Eagles at the plate with a 2-for-4 performance with an RBI and a run scored.

Sophomore Gian Martellini drove in a team-high two runs – both in the ninth – on a 1-for-3 day.

Freshman Jake Goodreau made his first career start, hitting in the eight spot as the designated hitter. He tallied his first career hit, a double, in the eighth inning.

Junior RHP Brian Rapp threw 5.1 innings of relief, allowing just two hits, two runs and two walks while striking out four.

Senior Michael Strem recorded an infield single in the ninth to extend his on-base streak to 15 games, a team season high, and his hit streak to seven games.

KEY PLAYS

Training 6-0, the Eagles scored one run in the eighth and three in the ninth to cut the Cardinals’ lead to two, but with two on and no outs in the ninth, closer RHP Lincoln Henzman recorded back-to-back strikeouts and UL catcher Colby Fitch caught junior Mitch Bigras stealing to end the game.

HOW IT HAPPENED

In Louisville struck first, scoring a run in the first. Lead-off batter Logan Taylor reached on walk and moved to second on a passed ball. Freshman right-handed starter Matt Gill got quick outs before intentionally walking Brendan McKay. Drew Ellis singled to left to score Taylor from second before a grounder ended the inning.

The Cardinals added three more in the third off Gill before Rapp came on in relief. With runners on the corners and one down, Colin Lyman grounded out to short to plate the first run of the inning. The Eagles could not turn the double play as the runner at first was off on the pitch. A wild pitch, walk and stolen base put Cards on second and third and Devin Mann drove both in with a base hit back up the middle. Rapp entered the game and got a first-pitch fly out to end the inning.

The Eagles broke up Louisville starter Kade McClure’s perfect game with two outs in the sixth as juniors Anthony Maselli and Jake Palomaki recorded back-to-back singles. A fielder’s choice ended the scoring chance.

Rapp threw 3.1 scoreless innings of relief before Louisville added two in the seventh. Lyman and Josh Stowers started with back-to-back singles and moved into scoring position on a double steal. Rapp struck out Mann but he reached on a third strike that got away from catcher Martellini. Tyler Fitzgerald grounded to short to score Lyman and freshman second baseman Brian Dempsey‘s throw to first on the double-play attempt was just late, putting runners on the corners. Taylor hit a sac fly to right to bring in Stowers before Rapp got a pop up for the third out.

The Eagles scored their first run against Louisville in the eighth. Adams led off the inning with a base hit and Goodreau doubled off the top of the wall in center to put runners on second and third. Maselli grounded out to third to bring in Adams. McClure recorded back-to-back strikeouts to get out of the inning, stranding Goodreau at third.

BC mounted a comeback in the ninth, scoring three runs with no outs and chasing two Louisville pitchers from the game, but the Eagles could not overcome the final deficit. With new pitcher RHP Riley Thompson in the game, Strem led off with an infield single and junior Donovan Casey followed with a walk. Martellini drove both in with a single to right. Lefty Adam Wolf came in to face junior Mitch Bigras, who hit one through the right side to put runners on the corners. Henzman entered and gave up an infield hit to Adams to score Martellini to make it a 6-4 game. The XXX struck out Goodreau for the first out of the inning. Henzman got Maselli swinging and Fitch threw out Bigras trying to steal third to end the game.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Louisville moves to 6-2 in the all-time series. It is the second time the Cardinals will win the series against BC in the three meetings.

The Eagles did not record an error for the sixth time in 2017.

BC outhit UL, 8-7. It is the second time this season the Eagles did not win after outhitting an opponent. They are 4-2 on the year. The other loss was the 6-5 defeat at Bethune-Cookman on Feb. 18 when BC recorded seven hits to BCU’s six.

UP NEXT
The Eagles and Cardinals finish the series with a 1 p.m. Sunday tilt on ACC Network Extra.