BC BASEBALL: Strem HR leads to Series-Clinching Win

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BC BASEBALL: Strem’s Home Run Launches Eagles to Series-Clinching Win

Palomaki logs career-high four RBIs on two home runs

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GAME INFORMATION
Score: Boston College 10, Notre Dame 9
Records: Notre Dame (26-29, 10-19 ACC) at Boston College (24-26, 10-19 ACC)
Location: Eddie Pellagrini Diamond at Commander Shea Field in Chestnut Hill, Mass.
Series: BC clinches the series, 2-0

BC HIGHLIGHTS

Junior Jake Palomaki hit two two-run home runs to log a career-high four RBIs on the day. They were his first bombs of the season. He finished the day 4-for-5 with two runs.

Senior Michael Strem broke a tie game in the eighth with a solo home run, his second of the season and the first home run at home in his career. He was 2-for-5 with two runs and a stolen base on the day. He has reached base safely in 292 career games, ninth all-time in BC record books.

Junior Donovan Casey collected the victory for the second time in three games to improve to 4-2 on the season. The righty threw the final two innings and did not allow a hit or run, walked two and struck out two. He also tallied one hit and scored a run. He has reached in last 11 games and has a hit in the last six games.

Sophomore Jake Alu was 2-for-5 with an RBI. He has a hit in 17 of the last 20 games, including the last seven.

Freshman Jacob Yish launched his first career home run in the third to put the Eagles on the board. He was 2-for-3 with two RBIs on the day.

Senior Johnny Adams was 1-for-3 with a double and a walk. He has reached base in the last 11 games, setting a new season hit.

KEY PLAYS

With the game knotted at eight, Strem hit a one-out home run over the left-field wall to give the Eagles the lead.

Casey pitched a 123 ninth to hold the Irish and help BC to the series-clinching win.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Notre Dame jumped out to an early, 4-0 lead in the second. With one down and runners on first and second, Eric Feliz doubled to right to score the first run of the game. Jake Shepski followed with a single to left to plate two more. Another double put runners on second and third and Jake Johnson hit a sac fly to center to make it a four-run game.

The Eagles tied the game in the third with the help of a couple of home runs. Yish led off with a solo shot over the left field wall to score BC’s first run. Freshman Brian Dempsey singled and Palomaki followed with his own bomb to left to make it a one-run game. With two down, sophomore Gian Martellini doubled to the corner in left and Alu drove him in with a double to right center. Alu was tagged out trying to get to third on a wild pitch.

The Irish retook the lead the following inning on a lead-off home run by Nick Podkul.

Notre Dame added three runs in the fifth and chased sophomore lefty starter Dan Metzdorf from the game. Cole Daily led off with a bunt single and scored on Feliz’s two-out double to left. After a walk, sophomore RHP John Witkowski came into the game and hit a batter to load the bases. Johnson singled to right center to plate two more. After an intentional walk, Strem made a diving catch in shallow center to end the inning and leave the bases loaded.

BC scored five runs on five hits and an error in the bottom of the inning to take a 9-8 lead. Dempsey led off with single up the middle and Palomaki launched his second homer of the day to make it a two-run game. New pitcher LHP Sean Guenther came into the game and gave up a single to Casey. After a throwing error put runners on second and third, Martellini singled to right to tie the game. With two down and runners on the first and second, Yish knocked one to center to score the go-ahead run.

Feliz led off the seventh with a home run over the left-field wall to tie the game at nine.

BC kept the game tied and stranded the three Irish in the top of the eighth. After a lead-off double, Casey came in from right field to pitch. He issued a one-out walk and ND executed a double steal to put runners on second and third. Casey intentionally walked Eric Gilgenbach to set up the double play, but was able to get an infield popup and strikeout swinging to end the scoring threat,

Strem put BC back on top with a solo shot over the left-field wall with one out in the bottom of the inning.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

For the first time in the two teams’ history, Boston College wins the series against Notre Dame. The Eagles improved to 5-11 at home against the Irish, winning the last three. They are 4-7 in ACC games.

Palomaki was the first player to smack the long ball more than once in a game since Chris Shaw hit three at Wake Forest on April 5, 2015.

The Eagles launched four home runs for the first time in 2017. The last time BC hit four bombs was in an 11-1 against Massachusetts on April 1, 2015.

Six of the nine BC batters logged two hits or more in the game. Eight of the nine starters recorded a hit. Five tallied at least one RBI while three knocked in two or more.

BC is now 7-2 when hitting a home run. The Eagles are 11-4 when recording double-digit hits.

Seven of the Eagles’ 16 hits were for extra bases.

BC is now 11-8 at home and has won the last five games.

UP NEXT
The Eagles and Irish finish the series on Saturday at 1 p.m. The five-member senior class will be honored at 12:30 p.m. and there will be a pregame ceremony honoring the final game at Shea Field.