Baldelli Logs Three Hits in Loss to No. 21 UVA

Box Score (PDF)

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Boston College baseball team dropped a 7-3 decision to No. 21 Virginia, evening the series on Saturday afternoon at Davenport Field at Disharoon Park in Charlottesville, Va. The Eagles (7-9, 2-3 ACC) and Cavaliers (12-7, 2-3 ACC) will play the rubber match on Sunday at 1 p.m.

Sophomore Dante Baldelli recorded three of BC’s five hits, including a ground-rule double in the sixth. The Eagles scored all three of their runs in the ninth. Baldelli, junior Gian Martellini, and senior Mitch Bigras collected the RBIs.

Junior LHP Dan Metzdorf allowed just one run through a five-inning start, giving up five hits and two walks.

GAME INFORMATION
Score: No. 21 Virginia 7, Boston College 3
Records: Boston College (7-9, 2-3 ACC) at Virginia (12-7, 2-3 ACC)
Series: The series is tied, 1-1
Location: Davenport Field at Disharoon Park in Charlottesville, Va.

BC HIGHLIGHTS

• Sophomore Dante Baldelli tallied three hits on the day, recording two infield singles and a ground-rule double. He also drew a bases-loaded walk in the ninth for his ninth RBI of the season.
• Junior LHP Dan Metzdorf went five in his start, allowing just one run, five hits, and two walks.
• Sophomore Jack Cunningham singled in the ninth. He has at least one hit in 13 of the 16 games this season.
• Senior Mitch Bigras logged his third RBI of the year on a two-out base hit in the ninth.

KEY PLAYS

• With just a two-run advantage in a tight game, Virginia scored five runs in the seventh to take a seven-run lead.
• UVA starter LHP Daniel Lynch threw 7.2 innings of shutout baseball to keep BC off the board.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Cavaliers used three base hits, including Nake Eikhoff’s two-out RBI single, to plate the first run in the first.
• UVA added a run in the sixth off redshirt freshman LHP Joey Walsh. The first two batters reached on a hit by pitch and walk and moved into scoring position on a sac bunt. Alex Tappen grounded out to short to give the Cavs a 2-0 lead.
• Virginia scored five in the seventh off four different BC pitchers. Junior RHP John Witkowski walked Tanner Morris, who then advanced on a wild pitch. Justin Novak laid down a bunt and junior third baseman Jake Alu overthrew first, allowing a run to score. Freshman LHP Will Hesslink walked the only batter he faced and, with runners on the corners, Caleb Knight doubled off junior RHP Brendan Spagnuolo to bring in a run. A hit by pitch loaded the bases and junior LHP Zach Stromberg entered the game. His first pitch skipped to the backstop, allowing a run to score and a base hit through the left side brought in two more.
• The Eagles got on the board in the ninth off RHP Kyle Whitten. With two outs, Cunningham singled to left and sophomore Brian Dempsey drew a walk to put two on. Bigras knocked one up the middle to score Cunningham. Both runners moved into scoring position when UVA centerfielder Devin Ortiz bobbled the ball. Back-to-back walks brought in the second BC run and the Cavs went to the pen for LHP Andrew Abbott. The lefty walked junior Gian Martellini to make it a 7-3 game but he got a strikeout to end the game.

INSIDE THE BOXSCORE

• The Eagles are 0-6 when committing two or more errors in a game this season.
• Senior Jake Palomaki‘s nine-game hit streak – the longest of the season for the Eagles – came to an end. Palomaki drew two walks to bring his career total to 129, continuing to add to his record-breaking total.
• Alu’s throwing error in the seventh was the first of the season for the utility player.
• Virginia’s win snapped the Eagles’ three-game win streak against UVA.

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