Birdball Hosts No. 20 Clemson for ACC Series

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WEEKEND PITCHING MATCH-UPS

Friday, 4 p.m.: LHP-Dan Metzdorf (2-1, 1.06) vs. RHP-Davis Sharpe (2-1, 2.03)
Saturday, 2 p.m.: RHP-Matt Gill (2-2, 5.93) vs. LHP-Mat Clark (4-0, 1.64)
Sunday, 1 p.m.: RHP-Mason Pelio (2-1, 2.78) vs. LHP-Keyshawn Askew (2-0, 3.00)

BOSTON COLLEGE EAGLES

Record: 11-9 (2-4 ACC)
Coach: Mike Gambino
Career Record/Years: 188-257/9
Rank: NR

CLEMSON TIGERS

Record: 16-5 (4-2 ACC)
Coach: Monte Lee
Career Record/Years: 425-207/11
Rank: 20^CBN/24^USA/25^BA^/N

The Boston College baseball team hosts its first home ACC series of the season against Clemson at the Harrington Athletics Village. Game one is set for Friday at 4 p.m. followed by a 2 p.m. first pitch on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday. All three games will be streamed on the ACC Network Extra.

ABOUT THE EAGLES

Boston College is 11-9 overall after splitting its midweek action against Northeastern and Siena. The Eagles are 2-4 through two weeks of conference play having won the finale at No. 8 Louisville (3/10) and claiming the opener at Wake Forest (3/15). Freshman outfielder Sal Frelick is BC’s top hitter; leading the team in batting average (.403), RBI (19), slugging percentage (.610), walks (11), on-base percentage (.473) and stolen bases (13). Freshman second baseman Cody Morissette is second on the team in hitting at .358 with a team-high seven doubles and 17 runs, which is tied for the most on the team. Senior third baseman Jake Alu, who has spent time in seven different spots in the lineup, is hitting .325 with five doubles and three home runs. Senior right-handed pitcher Dan Metzdorf returned to the Friday night role for the start of ACC play and is 2-1 in there starts on the year. He owns a 1.06 earned run average with 15 strikeouts in 17 innings.

SCOUTING THE TIGERS

Clemson, which is ranked as high as No. 20 by Collegiate Baseball News, followed up a sweep of North Carolina with a series loss to Notre Dame at home last weekend and arrives in Brighton at 16-5 overall and 4-2 in the ACC. Shortstop Logan Davidson is one of four Tiger regulars hitting .300 or better with a .338/.469/.703 slash line and team-high seven home runs and 24 RBI. Left fielder Sam Hall is hitting .333 with 25 runs scored and 12 stolen bases. In five starts, RHP David Sharpe is 2-1 with a 2.03 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 26.2 innings, while opponents are hitting .196.

ALL-TIME VS. CLEMSON

In a series that began when Boston College joined the ACC for the 2006 baseball season, Clemson leads the all-time series, 31-8. The Eagles are 3-15 at home and looking to snap a 10-game slide against the Tigers. BC, which last won a series over Clemson in 2008, last defeated CU in 2015; an 8-7 win in game two of the series at Shea Field.

BY THE NUMBERS: THE EAGLES VS. CU

Brian Dempsey: Four-game hit streak vs. Clemson… Gian Martellini: .296 (8-for-27)… Dan Metzdorf: 3.27 ERA with six innings of shutout ball in 2018 plus 12 strikeouts, including nine last season, in 11 innings of work… Zach Stromberg: 3.00 ERA om sox relief innings across four appearances with seven strikeouts.

SPEEDING EAGLES

The Eagles lead the ACC with 53 stolen bases, which ranks seventh in the country. Sal Frelick is first in the ACC with 13 and Chris Galland ranks fourth with 10. As a team, Boston College swiped 92 bags in 2018. The Eagles ranked second in the ACC behind Louisville and 21st in the nation. BC averaged 1.88 per game; good enough for second in the league and 12th in the NCAA. Three Eagles tallied 19 stolen bases or more as Galland led the way with 28. He ranked 20th in the nation and 2nd in the ACC in overall steals and 12th in the country and first in the league with 0.58 per game.