BC Baseball: Eagles Fall to Huskies

Sophomore right-hander Matt Gill went four scoreless in his start, allowing four hits and one walk. Freshman lefty Will Hesslink pitched one inning of relief, allowing a hit and striking out one without allowing a run. Junior southpaw Zach Strombergcame in with the bases loaded in the sixth and allowed just a run in on a close play at the plate. He threw three innings – a season high – allowed two hits and one walk and struck out two.

Senior Jake Palomaki and junior Gian Martellini recorded the only hits of the day for the Eagles. UConn starter Jeff Kersten threw 8.2 scoreless innings and held BC to a season low hits total.

GAME INFORMATION
Score: Connecticut 4, Boston College 0
Records: Connecticut (12-9) at Boston College (9-13)
Location: Brighton Baseball Field in Brighton, Mass.

BC HIGHLIGHTS

• Sophomore RHP Matt Gill threw four scoreless innings in his start, allowing four hits and one walk.
• Junior LHP Zach Stromberg threw three innings in relief, allowing just two hits and one walk with two Ks. He did not allow a run.
• With one of the two BC hits on the day, Palomaki has reached base safely in the last 17 games. He also drew a walk in the game.
• Junior Gian Martellini had the other hit for the Eagles.

KEY PLAYS

• UConn broke a scoreless tie in the sixth off junior reliever RHP Brandan Spagnuolo on three straight singles.
• It was all the Huskies needed as starter Jeff Kersten threw 8.2 scoreless innings, allowed just two hits and two ninth-inning walks.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Huskies broke the scoreless tie in the sixth with Spagnuolo on the mound. UConn tallied three straight hits to score the first run of the game. After an infield single loaded the bases, Stromberg came on in relief. He quickly forced an infield fly before getting a fly ball to shallow left. Freshman Chris Galland’s throw home was on target but the tagging Husky got in under catcher Martellini’s tag to score the second run of the inning. Stromberg ended the inning with a foul fly off the third-base bag.
• UConn scored its two other runs in the ninth. Junior RHP John Witkowski walked the only two batters he faced and freshman RHP Jack Hodgson came into the game. Michael Woodworth laid down a bunt to move the runners over, but Hodgson’s throw to third went wide, allowing a run in. A walk loaded the bases and Zac Susi hit a sacrifice fly to center to plate a run. After an intentional walk to load the base, junior RHP Jack Nelson came on in relief and got a 543 double play to get the Eagles out of the jam.
• The Eagles put two on with two outs on walks drawn by redshirt junior Scott Braren and Palomaki. Lefty closer P.J. Poulin came into the game and got a grounder to second to end the game.

INSIDE THE BOXSCORE

• Connecticut earned the win for the third straight meeting, improving to 61-41 in the all-time series.
• All 11 hits for the Huskies were singles.
• It marked just the second time in 2018 the Eagles were shut out. They lost, 4-0, to then No. 20 Indiana, on Feb. 24 in Port Charlotte, Fla.
• The two hits by the Eagles were the fewest recorded in 2018. The last time BC recorded two hits or less was a 4-1 to Ball State on March 7, 2017.

NEXT UP
The Eagles travel to Clemson, S.C., for a three-game series with the 12^th-ranked Tigers. The first game in on Thursday, March 29 at 6:30 p.m. All three games will be broadcast on the ACC Network Extra.