BC avoids sweep with a 9-2 win over Miami

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BC avoids sweep. A cloudy raw day for BC at Shea Field on Sunday, a far cry from a day earlier in which warm conditions led to the ball flying out of the ballpark. Miami took advantage of the weather and some mistakes made by Boston College pitchers to produced a nine-run ninth on their way to a big win.

On Sunday, it was the Eagles who got solid work from Junior Brian Rapp, who went seven strong innings. He got some offensive help from his battery mate Sophomore Catcher Gian Martellini who drove in four, three of them on one swing of the bat. It helped BC to avoid a sweep at home and take game three of the series VS Miami 9-2.

After the game, Rapp talked about his compete level and “keeping the ball down in the zone” as keys to his performance. He also got help from his mates in the field as well at the plate.

The Eagles struck first against Hurricanes starter Gregory Veliz, as he would walk two of the first three hitters he faced. With runners on first and second, up came Martellini who took a Veliz fastball and with the wind blowing straight in from left field drove it over the wall for a three-run home run. It was his fourth of the year and RBI’s 27, 28, and 29 on the year. 3-0 BC after one.

The Canes got one of those runs back vs Rapp when Michael Burns led off the fourth with a double to left field. After being advanced to third on a ground out he scored when Hunter Tackett drove him in with a ground ball to short. For Tackett, it was his sixth RBI of the weekend. 3-1 BC.

The Eagles responded in the bottom of the fourth, when after Martellini walked against Veliz. He would move to third on a base hit by Jake Ali. Jacob Yish would then drive him in with a sharp single to center field. The RBI was Yish’s 8th of the year. The more at-bats he gets, the more the coach likes what he sees.

The Hurricanes cut the lead in half once again in the sixth. After the first two men were retired Tackett was hit by a pitch. Next batter was Carl Chester and he ripped a double down the right field line. Tackett, running all the way, would score the Canes second run of the game. However, Chester was thrown out trying to stretch his double into a triple on a good relay by Donovan Casey to Johnny Adams to Brian Dempsey. 4-2 Eagles in the sixth.

That would be it for the Hurricanes as Rapp now 2-2 on the year and relief pitcher John Witkowski took care of the final three innings. BC would tack on three more runs in the seventh, one of those on a Martellini sac fly for his fourth RBI of the game. They then added two more in the eight against a Miami bullpen that could not stop the bleeding.

Coach Gambino was happy with the win. He thought Rapp threw the “ball great” and liked the way his team came back after a tough loss on Saturday.

For Miami Head Coach Jim Morris, he is happy about winning a series on the road something that in the ACC is not easy to do.

With the win, BC moves to 7-17 in the league and 17-24 overall. The loss has Miami at 12-11 in conference and 22-22 overall. Boston College gets back on the diamond this coming Tuesday with a road contest at UMass Lowell.