Boston College Defeats Northeastern at Fenway

BC overcame an early deficit after NU got a run in the second. The Eagles rallied for two runs in the top of the fourth beginning with a RBI-groundout to third from freshman second baseman Cody Morissette (Exeter, N.H.). A batter later, BC went in front on a double off the bat of senior catcher Gian Martellini (Johnston, R.I.) that landed on the track in front of the Green Monster.

In the sixth, Boston College loaded the bases with nobody out as an error opened the inning, a ground-rule double into the right-field bullpen by junior first baseman Jack Cunningham (South Riding, Va.) put two in scoring position and a dropped pop fly put a third aboard. The Eagles took advantage with the rare, two-RBI sacrifice-fly to deep center by Morissette.

Northeastern answered with two runs in the bottom of the sixth to get the game back within one run. Second baseman Jake Rosen lined a two-run double into the right-center gap but was stranded at second after senior RHP Sean Hughes(Williamsburg, Va.), the fourth BC pitcher of the day, got a strikeout to end the inning.

Hughes stuck around for the seventh and stranded shortstop Scott Holzwasser, who doubled with two down and stole third, with a called strike three to DH Ian Fair.

Redshirt-sophomore lefty Joey Walsh (Plymouth, Mass.) entered with BC down 1-0 in the bottom of the third and stayed on for two innings to earn the win. Walsh (2-4) hit a batter on the first pitch he threw but then proceeded to retire six in a row, including three by strikeout. Junior RHP Matt Gill (Simsbury, Conn.) gave up one run on two hits and a walk in a two-inning start. Senior RHP Thomas Lane (Georgetown, Mass.) walked two and got a double play in the ninth for his first save of the year.

Right-hander Brandon Dufalt pitched two-scoreless innings in the start for the Huskies with one hit in the first that was erased on a double play and two strikeouts. RHP Sam Jacobsak (1-4) took the loss after giving up two earned runs in the fourth, his only inning of work.

DETAILS
Score: Boston College 5, Northeastern 3
Records: Boston College (19-19), Northeastern Huskies (17-19)
Location: Fenway Park (Boston)
Attendance: TBA

QUOTEABLES
Mike Gambino, Head Coach:
“Anytime you get to walk out here in this ballpark for a rivalry game, we’re so fortunate. We can’t thank the Red Sox enough. It’s also fun to play well and get a ‘W’ against a really good opponent like Northeastern.”

“It came down to situational hitting and base-running. Cody [Morissette] had a really good two-strike at-bat; two of them actually. Gian had a big two-out hit in the fifth. Our [pitchers], for the most part, pounded the zone.”

BC HIGHLIGHTS

• Frelick drew a leadoff walk in the fourth, stole second, moved to third on a fly ball out to right and scored on a RBI-groundout to third off the bat of Morissette to tie the game.
• Martellini put BC in front a batter later with a double to the track in front of the Green Monster.
• Walsh struck out two in a quick, 1-2-3 shutdown inning in the bottom half of the fourth.
• After loading the bases on two errors and a ground-rule double, BC plated two unearned runs on a two-RBI sacrifice-fly to deep center by Morissette.
• A failed sacrifice-bunt with two on turned into a double play and Galland followed with a stolen base. He scored on a two-out single to left by Dempsey.

GAME NOTES

• BC is 15-6 all-time against Northeastern in the Beanpot.
• Frelick stole his team-leading 16^th and 17^th bases of the season.
• Cunningham extended his career-best reached base streak to 17 games with a hit-by-pitch in the fourth.
• Cunningham later extended his career-best hit streak to 11 games with a ground-rule double into the home bullpen in right-center in the sixth. It marked his 10^th double of the season and 19^th of his career.
• Martellini drove in his 98^th career run with his sixth double of the season and 32^nd of his career.
• Martellini notched his eighth multi-hit game of the season and 38^th of his career.
• Galland stole his 14^th base of the season and 42^nd of his career to tie for fifth all-time in the BC record book.
• Dempsey stole his ninth base of the season and 20^th of his career.
• Morissette posted his sixth multi-RBI game of the season.

UP NEXT
The Eagles hit the road for an ACC series at No. 12 North Carolina beginning Friday, April 19.