BC BASEBALL: Metzdorf Shuts Out Wake 8-0

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BC BASEBALL Metzdorf, BC Staff Quiets Wake Bats to Even Series
Strem goes 3-for-4 with two RBIs

Box Score (PDF) | Postgame Interviews (VIDEO)

GAME INFORMATION
Score: Boston College 8, No. 17 Wake Forest 0
Records: Boston College (19-25, 8-18 ACC) at Wake Forest (31-14, 14-9 ACC)
Location: David E. Couch Ballpark in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Series: The series is tied, 1-1

BC HIGHLIGHTS

Senior Michael Strem led the way, going 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs and two RBIs. He drew his 88^th career walk, tying for 10^th in BC record books and he has reached base safely in 284 times in his career, also 10^th all-time. Strem has drove in five runs so far in the series.

Sophomore Dan Metzdorf threw six scoreless innings, allowing four hits and three walks with five strikeouts.

Right-handers sophomore John Witkowski and junior Donovan Casey combined to throw three scoreless and hitless innings. The three BC pitchers combined to shut out the Demon Deacons – who came into the series averaging 8.3 runs per game – for the first shutout at Couch Ballpark in 2017.

Sophomore Jake Alu was 2-for-4 with two RBIs, a run scored and recorded his team-leading 11^th stolen base. He has a hit in 11 of the last 14 games.

Sophomore Gian Martellini tallied two hits, including his team-leading 13^th double, to extend his career-long hit streak to 11 games – the longest of the season for any BC player and tied for 13^th in BC record books – and has at least one knock in 36 of the 43 games played this season.

Junior Mitch Birgras tied his career high with three RBIs on the day.

Freshman Brian Dempsey was also 2-for-4 with a run and walk. He has a hit in 11 of the last 13 games.

Junior Jake Palomaki tied a career high by drawing three walks to bring his career total to 110, two away from tying for second all-time in BC record books. He also scored a run in the game.

KEY PLAYS

The Eagles scored two in the first and did not look back, adding one in the fourth, three in the seventh and two in the eighth.

Metzdorf, Witkowski and Casey combine to keep the Demon Deacons off the scoreboard.

HOW IT HAPPENED

For the second time in the series, the Eagles scored in the top of the first, tallying two off Wake starter RHP Donnie Sellers. Palomaki drew a four-pitch walk and Casey followed with a base hit through the right side. Both runners moved into scoring position on a wild pitch and Strem plated Palomaki with a chopper to third. With two down and Casey on third, Alu singled through the right side to score another BC run.

Senior Johnny Adams added a run in the fourth to give BC a 3-0 lead. He singled with one down, moved to third on a two-base throwing error by Sellers on a failed picked-off attempt and scored on a wild pitch.

Wake threatened in the fifth, loading the bases on a double and two walks with two outs but Metzdorf got out of the jam with a chopper to third.

The Eagles added three more in the seventh with RHP Morgan McSweeney on the mound to take a 6-0 lead. Strem singled and Martellini doubled to put runners on second and third with one down. Wake intentionally walked Alu to load the bases for a double play ball, but with two down, Bigras cleared the bases with a three-run double right center.

BC took an 8-0 lead in the eighth, chasing McSweeney from the game. After back-to-back walks drawn by Dempsey and Palomaki, RHP Chris Farish came in to pitch and with one down and runners on the corners, Strem singled to left to plate Dempsey. Martellini followed with a single to left, on which Palomaki tried to score from second, but was called out on a close play at the plate. After a wild pitch, Alu knocked a base hit past the diving first baseman to drive in Strem from third to give BC the eight-run lead.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Senior Johnny Adams tallied a hit in the game, extending his hit streak to five games, tying his longest of the season.

The shutout was the second of the season for the BC pitching staff.

BC handed Wake just its fifth loss at home – the first shutout – of the season.

It was the Eagles’ fourth win in Winston-Salem. The Eagles are 17-18 all-time against Deacons.

The BC pitching staff held the Wake batters to just five hits – one double and no home runs. Wake Forest came into the game with 78 home runs, averaging 1.77 per game.

Freshman Jacob Yish‘s career-long, five-game hit streak and eight-game on-base streak came to an end.

UP NEXT
The Eagles and Demon Deacons play the rubber match on Sunday at 1 p.m. The game will be on the ACC Network Extra.