BC Baseball: Casey Hits For Cycle in Win

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BC BASEBALL: Casey Hits for Cycle as Eagles Score Season-High 13 Runs in Win
Nelson throws four hitless innings in victory

Box Score (PDF) | Postgame Interviews (VIDEO)

GAME INFORMATION
Score: Boston College 13, Massachusetts 1
Records: UMass (6-10) at Boston College (8-14)
Location: New England Baseball Complex in Northborough, Mass.

BC HIGHLIGHTS

Junior Donovan Casey hit for the cycle in his first four at bats (triple, home run, single, double). He is the first BC player to complete the feat since April 27, 2003 when Jason Delaney did so against Seton Hall. He also scored a career-high four runs.

Sophomore RHP Jack Nelson threw four innings without allowing a hit or run. He walked four and struck out three in his second win of the season.

Sophomore Jake Alu tied a career high with three RBIs on a 2-for-3 day with two doubles, two runs and a walk. He pitched a 123 ninth with one strikeout.

Sophomore Gian Martellini and junior Anthony Maselli drove in two runs apiece on the day. Martellini was 1-for-2 with his first home run of the season, two walks and two runs scored and Maselli was 1-for-4 with one run scored and one walk.

Senior Michael Strem was 1-for-1 with two runs, three RBIs and three walks, which is tied for the single-game high this season. His hit came in the form of his 51^st career double, which is fourth all-time in BC record books.

Of the Eagles’ 11 hits, eight were for extra bases.

KEY PLAYS

BC took a 2-0 lead in its first at bat and did not look back, added 11 more runs in the victory.

The Eagles pitching staff allowed just three hits and the only run scored by UMass was a solo home run in the sixth.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Eagles jumped out to an early, 2-0 lead in the first. They loaded the bases on Casey’s triple, a hit by pitch and walk. UMass pitcher Connor Donahue got two quick strikeouts but Alu hit a double to right to plate two BC runs before being tagged out over-sliding the second-base bag.

BC put together a five-run third with two home runs to go up, 7-0, on the Minutemen. Casey led off with a solo shot over the wall in left field. It was his first homer of the season. With one down, Strem walked and Martellini hit a home run over the fence in left center to give the Eagles two more. After two more walks and with two down in the inning, Maselli doubled to right to bring in two more BC runs.

The Eagles added three more in the fourth off new pitcher RHP Scott Hovey. Casey led off with a single up the middle and Strem drove him in with a double to center. After Martellini drew a walk, BIGRAS scored Strem on a base hit to center. With Martellini on third, Alu hit a sac fly to make it a 10-run lead.

Strem added a run for the Eagles in the fifth on a sac fly. Casey knocked a one-out double to right center, completing the cycle. He moved to third on a passed ball and senior Johnny Adams drew a walk to put runners on the corners. Strem flew out to center to score Casey from third.

Mike Geannelis hit a home run over the right-field fence off sophomore LHP Zach Stromberg to put the Minutemen on the board in the sixth.

BC added two more in the bottom of the inning to take a 13-1 lead with RHP Casey Aubin on the mound. Alu led off with double and moved to third on a passed ball. With one out, Maselli drew a walk and senior pinch hitter Chris Balogh singled to center to score Alu. Both runners moved into scoring position when centerfielder Brett Evangelista mishandled Balogh’s hit. Casey reached on a fielder’s choice to load the bases and Strem drew a two-out walk to bring in the 13^th run.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

The 13 runs were the most runs scored by the Eagles in 2017.

The BC pitching staff did not allow a hit through the first 4.2 innings.

The Eagles did not record an error for the 10^th time in 2017.

Adams was hit by a pitch and earned a walk to extend his on-base streak to eight games.

Sophomore Dominic Hardaway made his first start in 2017, playing right field, after missing time due to a hand injury.

Strem pitched the eighth inning, allowing one hit and one walk with one strikeout. It was his first time on the mound since his freshman year.

UP NEXT
The Eagles travel to Blacksburg, Va., for a three-game ACC set with Virginia Tech beginning on Friday, March 31 at 5 p.m. The first game will be on the ACC Network Extra and Saturday’s contest will be broadcast as part of the BC IMG Radio Network.