BC BASEBALL: Eagles Fall to #1 Cardinals 5-3

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BC BASEBALL: Metzdorf Allows One Earned Run at No. 1 Louisville, but Errors Plague Eagles in Loss
The lefty starter did not issue a walk in six-inning start

Box Score (PDF) | Postgame Interview (VIDEO)

GAME INFORMATION
Score: No. 1 Louisville 5, Boston College 3
Records: Boston College (6-11, 1-5 ACC) at Louisville (19-0, 6-0 ACC)
Location: Jim Patterson Stadium in Louisville, Ky.
Series: Louisville wins the series, 3-0

BC HIGHLIGHTS

Sophomore left-hander Dan Metzdorf allowed just one earned run over a six-inning start and did not walk a batter. He allowed five hits, three runs scored and he struck out three.

Junior Mitch Bigras led the way for the Eagles at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two doubles, two runs scored and a walk. It marked his fifth multiple hit game of the season.

Senior Michael Strem recorded his sixth outfield assist in the third inning.

Junior RHP Donovan Casey threw 1.1 innings of relief, allowing one hit with one strikeout.

KEY PLAYS

With the game tied at two, Louisville plated a run in the sixth inning off two BC errors.

The Cardinals added two more in the seventh and even though the Eagles got one back in the eighth, they could not plate enough to retie the game.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Eagles were the first to get on the board, scoring a run in the second. Bigras doubled down the first-base line and with two outs, freshman Brian plated him with a base hit through the left side.

The Cardinals tied the game in the bottom of the inning as Drew Ellis hit a lead-off single, moved to second on a wild pitch and to third on a balk. With one out, Josh Stowers hit a sacrifice fly to right to plate the tying run. Metzdorf ended the inning with a grounder to third.

Louisville took the lead in the third on two BC miscues. Zeke Pinkham reached on a throwing error by second baseman Dempsey and a hit batter put two on. Devin Hairston hit one to junior third baseman Anthon Maselli, who misplayed the ball, allowing Pinkham to score from second. Brendan McKay hit a fly ball to center, which Strem relayed to senior shortstop Johnny Adams. Adams connected with Dempsey covering second and the Eagles got Hairston trying to tag up to end the inning.

BC tied the game in the fourth as Bigras hit his second double of the game and Adams followed with a walk. Both runners moved up on a balk before the bases were loaded on an error. Maselli hit a sac fly to left to make it two all.

Louisville retook the lead in the sixth, capitalizing again on BC errors. McKay led off with a base hit through the right side and after getting the first out by way of the K, Metzdorf misplayed a bunt to put two on. Stowers hit one at Maselli, who couldn’t play the chopper, allowing McKay to cross the plate. Metzdorf got two fly balls to end the inning.

The Cardinals added two in the seventh with BC relievers in the game. Sophomore RHP Jake Alu got two quick outs before loading the bases on a double down the line, an intentional walk to McKay and a base on balls. Casey came in from right field to pitch and Colin Lyman laced an 0-2 pitch back up the middle to score two. Casey forced a fly ball for the third out.

The Eagles got one back in the eighth with RHP Jake Sparger on the mound. With one out, BC loaded the bases on an error, an infield single by sophomore Gin Martellini and a walk. Closer RHP Lincoln Henzman entered and Adams chopped one to short. The Cardinals got the runner at second but Adams beat the throw to allow a BC run in. Henzman forced a groundout to end the BC scoring threat.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Junior Jake Palomaki was not in the BC lineup after injuring his hamstring in Saturday’s game. He started 116 games in a row and 120 in his career. Aside from the first four games his freshman year, he had played in every game since coming to The Heights – 123 of 127 games.

The Eagles led for the first time in the series with the 1-0 lead in the second.

Strem ended his on-base streak at 15 games, a team season high, and his hit streak at seven games.

The Eagles committed a season-high four errors, the most since tallying four at North Carolina in a 6-0 loss on April 26, 2015.

Louisville moved to 7-2 in the all-time series.

UP NEXT
The Eagles return home to Massachusetts and will play at Northeastern on Tuesday, March 21 at 3 p.m.