BC Baseball: Rapp Throws Gem but Eagles Fall to No. 6 Clemson

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BC BASEBALL’s Rapp Throws Gem but Eagles Fall to No. 6 Clemson in Series Finale
The junior righty struck out a career-high eight

Box Score (PDF) | Postgame Interviews (VIDEO)

GAME INFORMATION
Score: No. 6 Clemson 2, Boston College 0
Records: Clemson (20-4, 8-1 ACC) at Boston College (7-14, 1-8 ACC)
Location: Bill Beck Field in Kingston, R.I.
Series: Clemson wins the series, 3-0

BC HIGHLIGHTS

Junior Brian Rapp threw a career-high seven innings and struck out a career-high eight in a no decision. He retired all nine Tigers the first time through the order and 21 of the 23 total batters faced. Rapp did not walk a batter or allow a run, giving up just two singles in his first career ACC start.

Senior Johnny Adams led the way for the Eagles offensively with a 2-for-4 day with a stolen base. He has recorded a hit in the last four games and reached base in the last seven. He was 4-for-11 (.364) with a walk and stolen base in the three-games series against Clemson.

Freshman Dante Baldelli tallied a hit on a 1-for-3 day. He extended his hit streak to a career-long three games and recorded one in both games played against the Tigers.

KEY PLAYS

Locked in a pitchers’ duel for the second straight game, the Tigers broke the scoreless tie in the eighth with a run off sophomore left-hand reliever Zach Stromberg.

The Eagles loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning, looking to tie the game, but Clemson closer Ryley Gilliam got out the jam and held BC off the scoreboard.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Tigers were able to push across a run in the eighth as Stromberg relieved Rapp on the hill. The lefty allowed a lead-off walk to Logan Davidson, who moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Junior RHP Donovan Casey came in from right field to pitch and Robert Jolly hit a blooper to left to put Clemson runners on the corners. Reed Rohlman plated the first run of the day with a sacrifice fly to center. After a walk, Casey forced two fly balls to end the inning.

The Eagles threatened in the bottom of the inning, loading the bases with one out but could not push across the tying run. Baldelli and senior pinch hitter Chris Balogh hit back-to-back base hits to force starter Pat Krall from the game. With Gilliam on the mound, Casey reached on a fielding error to load the bases but the CU pitcher got Adams swinging and sophomore Gian Martellini to fly out to get the Tigers out the jam.

Seth Beer led off the ninth with a solo shot over the left-center field fence to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead. Casey got the next three out on a fly ball and two Ks.

Senior Michael Strem led off the ninth by garnering a four-pitch walk, just the second of the series for Clemson pitchers, but Gilliam retired the next three Eagles to seal the victory.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Rapp is the first BC pitcher in 2017 to throw seven scoreless innings in a start. He is the only one to not walk a batter in an outing of that length.

Casey led off for the Eagles for the first time in his career.

Clemson has won the last seven straight meetings between the two schools and improved to 28-8 in the all-time series.

For the fourth time this season, the Eagles outhit an opponent but did not win the game. They are 5-4 in those contests.

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

It was just the fourth time this year the Eagles did not score a run in the game, but the second time against sixth-ranked Clemson.

Sophomore Gian Martellini‘s career-long, six-game hit streak came to an end as he went 0–for-4 in the game. He had reached base in the last nine games.

Through the first three weekends of Atlantic Coast Conference action, Boston College is 1-8 but faced the second-ranked team (at Florida State), the top-ranked team (at Louisville) and the sixth-ranked team (vs. Clemson). The Eagles will play at Virginia Tech next weekend.

UP NEXT
The Eagles will travel to Storrs, Conn., to play Connecticut on Tuesday, March 28 at 3 p.m.