BC BASEBALL Falls in Series Finale to No. 17 FSU

BRIGHTON, Mass. – The Boston College baseball team dropped a 6-1 decision in the series finale to No. 17 Florida State on Sunday afternoon at the Harrington Athletics Village at Brighton Fields as over 1,200 fans looked on. The Eagles (13-26, 5-16 ACC) outhit the Seminoles (29-12, 11-9 ACC) for the second time in the series but could not pick up the victory.

Senior right-hander Brian Rapp retired the first 11 batters he faced before allowing a two-out single in the fourth. He struck out seven in his six-inning start and allowed just four hits. The pitching combination of Rapp and juniors Thomas Lane and Zach Stromberg allowed just five FSU hits on the day.

Senior Jake Palomaki tallied a hit in his first three at bats. He recorded at least one hit and one run in all three games of the series. Sophomore Brian Dempsey also registered a hit in every game of the series, going 2-for-2 with a sac bunt and RBI in the finale.

GAME INFORMATION
Score: No. 17 Florida State 6, Boston College 1
Records: Florida State (29-12, 11-9 ACC) at Boston College (13-26, 5-16 ACC)
Location:  Harrington Athletics Village at the Brighton Fields in Brighton, Mass.
Series: FSU wins the series, 3-0

BC HIGHLIGHTS

• Senior RHP Brian Rapp retired the first 11 batters he faced before allowing a two-out single in the fourth. He struck out seven in his six-inning start, allowing just four hits. He gave up five runs – four earned – and four walks.
• Senior Jake Palomaki was 3-for-5 on the day, logging hits in his first three at-bats. He recorded at least one hit and scored in all three games of the series and has reached base in 35 of the Eagles’ 39 games this season with a hit in 27 of them.
• Freshman Chris Galland was 2-for-3 and an RBI. He has reached base in 14 games, the longest current streak for any Eagle.
• Sophomore Brian Dempsey was a perfect 2-for-2 with an RBI, sac bunt, and two walks. He tallied a hit in every game against FSU and has reached base in 35 of the Eagles’ 39 games this season.

KEY PLAYS

• The Noles scored four runs in the fifth off Rapp to take a 4-1 lead they did not relent.
• Starter RHP Andrew Karp and reliever LHP Jonah Scolaro kept the Eagles scoreless for six innings to hold the FSU lead.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Eagles broke the scoreless tie with a run in the third. Palomaki and Galland tallied back-to-back, one-out singles. With both runners on the move, Dempsey singled through the left side, scoring Palomaki. Dempsey stole second but a strikeout and grounder end the BC scoring threat.
• BC loaded the bases with two outs on a walk and singles by sophomore Dante Baldelli and Palomaki, but Karp forced a foul fly out to get out of the jam.
• Florida State took the lead in the fifth, scoring four runs. A lead-off walk and base hit put two before Rapp got a strikeout. Reese Albert singled to right to tie the game at one. A balk call allowed the go-ahead run to cross the plate. With runners on the corners, Mike Salvatore laid down a bunt and Rapp threw home but could not get Albert coming in. A walk loaded the bases and Rhett Aplin hit a sacrifice fly to center to make it a 4-1 game. Rapp got out of the inning with his sixth strikeout.
• The Noles added a run in the seventh. Nick Derr led off with a double and junior RHP Thomas Lane came into the game. Derr moved up on a passed ball and scored on a sac fly by Salvatore. Lane forced a fly ball and a grounder to end the inning.
• FSU added a run in the ninth. With a runner on third, Derr doubled off the left-field wall to make it 6-1 Florida State. Junior LHP Zach Stromberg entered and forced a fly ball and strikeout looking to end the inning.
• BC put two on with two outs in the bottom of the ninth as Galland was hit by a pitch and Dempsey singled up the middle, but Scolaro got a fly ball to center to end the game.

INSIDE THE BOXSCORE

• Florida State improves to 34-5 all-time against BC and 17-2 on the Eagles’ home turf. The Seminoles have won the five three meetings between the two squads and have won every series.
• The Eagles drew three walks against FSU pitch Karp, the most the righty has allowed in 2018. He came into the weekend giving up 1.53 walks per nine innings.
• BC scored first in all three games against the Noles.
• For the second time in the three-game series, the Eagles outhit FSU. They have lost seven games in which they have recorded more hits than their opponent.
• For the 18^th time this season, BC did not record an error.

NEXT UP
The Eagles end a 15-game home stand with a trip to Lowell to take on UMass Lowell on Tuesday, April 24 at 4 p.m.