BC BASEBALL: Santa Clara Evens Series with Eagles

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Santa Clara Evens Series with Eagles
Baldelli puts up career numbers in loss

Box Score (PDF) | Postgame Interview (VIDEO)

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – The Boston College baseball team could not stop an offensive outpouring from Santa Clara, and fell, 20-9, at Stephen Schott Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Eagles (1-1) had a three-run lead heading in the seventh inning, but four different BC pitchers allowed three home runs, hit seven batters and walked two more to allow a 14-run inning by the Broncos (1-1).

Sophomore Dante Baldelli put up career numbers in the loss, going 4-for-5 with three RBIs. He also scored a run and stole his first base of the season.

The Eagles jumped out to an early lead in the first off junior Jake Alu‘s two-run home run, but the Broncos were quick to strike back, scoring four in the bottom of the frame. BC regained the lead in the fifth, scoring five, but the Broncos scored 14 in the seventh, led by Jake Brodt’s 10 RBIs, to seal the win.

It was the first win for SCU head coach Rusty Filter and the first for the program against the Eagles in the series history. The two teams will play the rubber match on Sunday at 3 p.m. EST.

GAME INFORMATION
Score: Santa Clara 20, Boston College 9
Records: Boston College (1-1) at Santa Clara (1-1)
Series: The series is tied, 1-1
Location: Stephen Scott Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.

BC HIGHLIGHTS

  • Senior Jake Palomaki tallied three hits – all for extra bases with two doubles and a triple – and three RBIs with two runs. He extended his hit streak to six games, dating back to last season. In the first two games of the season, he has racked up six hits, six RBIs, three runs and a 1.182 slugging percentage.
  • Alu hit his first career home run in the first inning for the Eagles. It was the second home run for BC in as many games.
  • Baldelli tallied a career-high four hits and three RBIs on a 4-for-5 day with a run, a stolen base and hit by pitch.
  • Junior Thomas Lane threw three scoreless innings of relief, allowing just one walk. He retired final seven batters he faced and recorded his first collegiate at bat.
  • Sophomore Jack Cunningham recorded a career-high three hits on the day with one run and one RBI.

KEY PLAYS

  • The Eagles allowed 14 runs in the seventh inning to concede the lead. They hit seven batters, gave up three home runs, including two grand slams to Jake Brodt.

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • For the second consecutive game, the Eagles jumped out to a lead in the first. Baldelli singled up the middle before Alu blasted a two-out bomb over the right-field fence.
  • The Broncos took the lead in the bottom of the inning with junior LHP Dan Metzdorf making his first start of the season. A walk, error and wild pitch put runners on second and third and Brodt hit a sacrifice fly to left for the first SCU run. With two on, Jake MacNichols hit a home run over the right-field fence to make it a 4-2 game.
  • BC cut the lead to one the following inning on a one-out, RBI double by Palomaki.
  • SCU got the run back on an error in the bottom half of the inning and chased Metzdorf from the game.  Lane came on in relief and got two quick outs before allowing a single. He finished the inning and kept the Broncos off the board with a liner to left.
  • Baldelli made it a one-run game again in the sixth with new pitcher RHP Luke Genova on the hill. Palomaki smacked a two-out triple to the corner in right and Baldelli drove him in with a single through the right side.
  • The Eagles retook the lead with a five-run fifth. Cunningham plated one on a base hit to center and Palomaki drove in two more on a double down the third-base line. Baldelli followed with a single to left to plate two to give BC the 9-5 lead.
  • Brodt hit a two-out, solo home run with sophomore RHP Matt Gill on the hill to cut the lead to three.
  • The Broncos scored 14 runs on two grand slams by Brodt and seven hit batsmen to take a commanding, 20-9 lead in the seventh. Junior RHP Jack Nelson loaded the bases on two walks and hit by pitch and Jason Dicochea hit a sac fly to bring SCU within two. Classmate RHP John Witkowski hit a batter to load the bases and Brodt hit a grand slam over the left-field wall to give the Broncos the lead. John Cresto followed with a solo shot of his own and after a base hit, Cunningham came in from right to replace Witkowski. Niko Holm doubled to drive in a run before Cunningham hit four batters in a row to bring in two more. Senior LHP Mitch Bigras headed to the mound and allowed a run in on another hit batter before Brodt hit his second grand slam of the inning. Bigras ended the inning with two a fly ball and a groundout.

INSIDE THE BOXSCORE

  • Santa Clara picked up its first-ever victory against the Eagles. BC leads the all-time series, 3-1.
  • In the loss, the Eagles outhit the Broncos, 16-11, but SCU tallied seven extra-base hits.
  • Redshirt junior Scott Braren returned to the BC lineup for the first time since March 4, 2017 when he suffered a season-ending knee injury. He went 2-for-4 with a run scored.
  • Redshirt freshman LHP Joey Walsh, freshman RHP Jack Hodgson and freshman Chris Galland all made their first collegiate appearances. Walsh threw a scoreless fifth, allowing just one walk and with one strikeout while Hodgson recorded his first career K in the eighth. Galland recorded his first career hit on a 1-for-1 day with a sac bunt.
  • The last time the Eagles allowed four home runs in a game was on May 5, 2017 at Wake Forest.
  • The last grand slam the BC pitching staff allowed was to North Carolina’s Zach Gahagan on April 8, 2017 and the last time an opposing player hit two homers in the same game as at Virginia Tech on March 31, 2017.

UP NEXT
The Eagles and Broncos finish the series with a 3 p.m. (EST) game on Sunday. It can be seen here.

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