Baseball Dominant in Home Opener vs. Holy Cross

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Eagles take down intrastate rival, 11-4

BRIGHTON, Mass. – The Boston College baseball team took down Holy Cross, 11-4, in its home opener at the Harrington Athletics Village on Tuesday afternoon. The Eagles improved to 9-6 on the year in the earliest home game in program history.

Boston College trailed right out of the gate as the Crusaders (1-15) put two runs on the board with a single and four free passes to first in the top of the first. The Eagles responded immediately with three runs in the bottom half and never looked back.

Junior first baseman Jack Cunningham (South Riding, Va.) tied the game with a double down the left field line and was later thrown out trying to steal third. Senior catcher Gian Martellini (Johnston, R.I.) started a two-out rally with a double to left and scored the go-ahead run on a single up the middle by freshman second baseman Cody Morissette (Exeter, N.H.).

The Eagles scored in each of the first four innings, including five in the third, and five of the first six. BC’s five-run third was highlighted by a three-run home run to right by senior third baseman Jake Alu (Hamilton, N.J.).

On the mound, freshman right-hander Emmet Sheehan (Darien, Conn.) made the start and threw 31 pitches, allowing two runs on one hit, two walks, and a hit batter to go with two strikeouts. Fellow freshman RHP Joe Mancini (Fairfield, Conn.) was the first BC pitched out of the bullpen. Mancini (2-1) pitched a team-high 3.1 innings and surrendered two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out three.

For Holy Cross, righty CJ McKennitt (0-3) gave up four runs on seven hits with three strikeouts in two innings. Right fielder Ben Malgeri went 3-for-3 with two runs.

DETAILS
Score: Boston College 11, Holy Cross 4
Records: Boston College (9-6), Holy Cross (1-15)
Location: Harrington Athletics Village (Brighton, Mass.)
Attendance: 239

QUOTEABLES
Mike Gambino, Head Coach:
“It is awesome we are playing the earliest that we’ve ever played a home baseball game in our program. To see how this program continues to grow and just being able to play a home game on March 12^th and then get back out here and practice, we are extremely lucky”

“I thought the boys played well. There were a lot of good positives. We didn’t throw strikes early on. Joey [Mancini] has been great for us, but once he settled in, the rest of the guys did a really good job.”

BC HIGHLIGHTS

The Eagles erased an early two-run deficit with a two-run double that hit the left field line off the bat of Cunningham in the bottom of the first.
Tied 3-3, Alu doubled and scored the go-ahead run in the second on a Frelick single over shortstop.
Martellini erased a two-out walk in the third, throwing out the runner at second. He then led off the bottom half with his second double of the game.
With runners on second and third, Alu blasted a three-run home run to right field.
After a scoreless fifth, Cunningham lifted a two-out, solo home run to right.

GAME NOTES

The game marked the earliest home game in program history; besting a March 19, 2000 win over Connecticut.
BC now leads the all-time series with Holy Cross in games on record, 35-34-1.
The Eagles are 21-13 in home opener on record dating back to 1986.
Boston College reached double-digit run totals for the fifth time this season.
BC is 1-2 when the opponent scores in the first inning and 2-5 when the opponent scores first.
Martellini set a career-high in doubles with two; pushing his career total to 29.
Alu hit his third home run of the season and fifth of his career.
Alu recorded the seventh three-hit game of his career.
Cunningham hit his third home run of the season.
Cunningham’s home run marked the 13^th of the season for the Eagles. BC hit just 14 in 2018 and its 13^th of the season came in game 37 at Florida State on April 20.
Cunningham has reached base in a career-best 10 consecutive games.
Cunningham matched his career-high in hits with three.
BC played its first error-free game of the season.