Eagles Claim Series Opener at Wake Forest

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BC rattles off third win in a row; holds off late Wake surge.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Boston College baseball team picked up a 5-3 win over Wake Forest at David F. Couch Ballpark on Friday night. The Eagles improved to 10-6 overall and evened their ACC record at 2-2, while the Demon Deacons fell to 10-9 and 1-3.

BC fell behind early as Wake took advantage of a leadoff-triple by designated hitter Shane Muntz in the second. Senior left-handed pitcher Dan Metzdorf (Burlington, Mass.) was able to limit the Demon Deacons to one run with a line out to third and a strikeout to leave the bases loaded.

The Eagles responded with a three-run inning in the fourth. Senior third baseman Jake Alu (Hamilton, N.J.), who saved a run in the second with a diving grab at the hot corner, led off with a single to right. Senior catcher Gian Martellini (Johnston, R.I.) smashed his second single to short in the game to give BC two on with one out. Freshman second baseman Cody Morissette (Exeter, N.H.) then singled to left, which scored Alu for the tying run. The ball was thrown from left to the Eagles’ first base dugout, which allowed Martellini to score the go-ahead run and land Morissette at third. Freshman designated hitter Lucas Stalman (Bedford Hills, N.Y.) added the third run on a sacrifice fly.

Metzdorf (2-1) returned to the mound with a lead after striking out the side in the third. He struck out his fifth batter of the night in a shutdown fourth and stranded two runners after issuing two two-out walks. Metzdorf left after 5.1 innings and the bases loaded in the sixth. He allowed just one run on seven hits and four walks with six strikeouts.

Senior righty Thomas Lane (Georgetown, Mass.) relieved Metzdorf and left the bases loaded with a three-pitch strikeout and a fly ball to right.

Right-hander Colin Peluse (1-2) threw 6.1 innings in the start for Wake Forest. He gave up five runs, three earned, on six hits and two walks with four strikeouts. Catcher Brendan Tinsman led the offense with a 3-for-4 night.

Boston College added insurance runs against Peluse in the sixth and seventh innings. Junior first baseman Jack Cunningham (South Riding, Va.) hit a solo home run in the sixth out to left field; his fourth of the season. A leadoff-error allowed Stalman to reach in the seventh and opened the door for a sacrifice fly by junior shortstop Brian Dempsey (Potomac, Md.).

DETAILS
Score: Boston College 5, Wake Forest 3
Records: Boston College (10-6), Wake Forest (10-9)
Location: David F. Couch Ballpark (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
Attendance: 445

BC HIGHLIGHTS

With the bases loaded in the bottom of the second, Alu made a diving catch for out two and Metzdorf followed with a check-swing strikeout to leave the bases loaded.
Metzdorf struck out the side in the third; making it four straight strikeouts and proceeded to strikeout five of six batters over that stretch.
Morissette single to left in the fourth to turn a one-run deficit into a one-run lead for BC. He drove in Alu from second with the hit and Martellini scored from first on a throwing error as Morissette finished the play at third.
Cunningham lifted a 352′ home run out to left on a 0-1 pitch.
Lane came on with the bases loaded and struck out the first batter he faced on three pitches; all called strikes.
Facing the potential tying run, John Witkowski got a called strike three to end the game.

GAME NOTES

Wake Forest leads the all-time series, 22-18, including 14-5 at home.
Jake Alu hit clean-up for the first time this season and third time in his career.
Gian Martellini recorded his third multi-hit game of the season and 33^rd of his career.
Cunningham hit his team-leading fourth home run of the season.
Cunningham’s home run was the 14^th of the year for BC; matching the Eagles’ 2018 total. BC hit its 14^th home run of 2018 in game 41 at Notre Dame (4/27/18).
Cunningham became the first Eagle to homer in back-to-back games since Michael Strem at Wake Forest (4/3-4/15).
Cunningham posted his fourth multi-hit game of the season and 15^th of his career.
BC snapped a string of seven consecutive ACC series-opening losses; having last won game one against Virginia Tech (3/23/18).
Metzdorf won his seventh career game and has 20 career strikeouts in 19.1 innings against Wake Forest with a 1.40 ERA.