Florida State defeats Boston College 13-7

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No. 18 Florida State defeats Boston College 13-7 in the ALS Awareness game at Fenway Park

On a sun-splashed day at Fenway Park, the Florida State Seminoles and the Boston College Eagles played in the Annual ALS Awareness game. The game is played in honor of former captain Pete Frates who was diagnosed with ALS in March of 2012. This is the second straight year that the game was being held at Fenway. It’s also the second time the game has been an all ACC matchup.

Thanks being amazing hosts – as always – @fenwaypark and @RedSox! #StrikeoutALS https://t.co/ap6BzymAFG

— Boston College Baseball (@BCBirdBall) April 21, 2018

Before the largest crowd in the history of this game, 5,433, the 18th ranked Seminoles sent C.J. Van Eyk to the hill. He went to try to slow down an Eagles attack that the night before rallied twice before losing in extra frames. For Boston College, left-hander Dan Metzdorf was given the ball.

The Eagles struck first after the first two hitters reached via the walk. Van Eyk would settle down and get the next two batters. After a walk to Jake Goodreau loaded the bases, Dante Baldelli came through with a two-run single to left field. After one BC was up 2-0.

Florida State got on the board in the top of the second. After Metzdorf walked the first two hitters, Steven Wells made Metzdorf pay by ripping a double down the right-field line. Two ground ball outs followed that plated runs and FSU grabbed a 3-2 lead.

The Eagles got those three runs back in their half of the second. With one down, Anthony Maselli and Jake Palomaki got back to back singles to put running at the corners. Palomaki then stole second, his 15th of the season. After a base on balls to Chris Garland, Jack Cunningham, batting in the third hole, smacked a rbi double to right field plating two runners. Galland came around to score on a throwing error by the right fielder Wells, and it was 5-3 Boston College.

Neither starting pitcher was affected in this one. Van Eyk was pulled after two and was replaced by Tyler Ahearn. Through the middle innings, he settled down the Eagles offense. The same could not be said for Metzdorf, who gave up single runs in the third and fourth to tie the game at 5-5 after four innings.

The Seminoles broke the game open in the fifth and six frames, scoring five times in the fifth and three more in the sixth. Metzdorf’s line was not pretty, seven runs all earned on five hits. The killer was the seven walks Metzdof allowed. He is still winless on the year now at 0-6. His replacement, Joey Walsh, did not fare much better lasting only an inning and a third giving up five earned runs. Through five and a half, Florida State had a commanding 12-6 lead.

Ahearn’s four innings were very good though did give up a run on a wild pitch in the sixth. He did retire nine of ten batters faced before allowing the run. The four innings he pitched nearly matched his season output of six and two-thirds of work. His outing put him in line to pick up his first win of the season.

Thank you @RedSox, @fenwaypark and @espn for an unforgettable experience and your support of @PeteFrates3's and @TeamFrateTrain's mission to #StrikeoutALS pic.twitter.com/BSJ9mO8wsy

— Boston College Baseball (@BCBirdBall) April 22, 2018

Florida State and Boston College both added runs in the later stages of the game, to make the final score 13-7 Florida State. The Seminoles have taken the first two games of this series and improved to 10-9 in the league and 28-12 overall.

Boston College is now 5-15 in the ACC and 13-25 overall. Game three of the series pits a pair of right-handers in the series finale. Andrew Karl for FSU and Brian Rapp for Boston College. First pitch is scheduled for 1 pm.