Boston College hangs on to a 9-7 victory over Notre Dame

Pelio sailed through inning number one with the help of a double play ball. In the second, he was not so lucky as the Irish pushed across two in the second. A one-out double by David LaManna was followed by a two-out RBI single by Jared Miller to make it 1-0 Irish. With the bottom of the order batting, the Irish used some nifty base running to plate run number two. A delayed double steal was executed by Miller and Zack Prajner who reached on an infield single to the deep shortstop hole. Miller would cross the plate as the throw from Eagles second baseman Cody Morissette was late and wide. 2-0 Irish.

The Eagles would get those two runs back and add a couple more in the third against Sheehan. They would bat around getting an extra-base hit from Dante Baldelli, a gap double to left-center field, scoring Peter Burns who began the inning with a single to left. Baldelli crossed the plate on an infield single off Sheehan’s glove by Morissette. A gap triple to left-center by Brian Dempsey plated Morissette with the third run of the inning. Dempsey scored on a single by Jack Cunningham. The Eagles responded with a four-run third to take a four to two lead.

With the ACC championship just days away, head coach Mike Gambino decided to have Pelio (three IP, three hits, two ER) on a pitch count of fifty pitches. Tommy Lane came out of Boston College’s pen to keep things in line in the fourth. His performance was anything but and Lane could not record an out giving up three runs, on two hits. There was a passed ball and wild pitch in the mix. When the top of the fourth was over the Irish were on top at 5-4.

Boston College responded once again tying the game in the bottom of the frame. Burns’ second hit of the night was a bloop double down the left field line. He was advanced to third on a sac bunt, then scored the tying run on a ground out by Jake Alu. It was 5-5 after four.

Notre Dame broke the tie in the fifth. Facing John Witkowski, a ground out to second by LaManna brought home Carter Putz who led the inning off with a single to left. 6-5 Notre Dame.

After five-innings from Sheehan (nine hits, five ER), the Irish turned to their bullpen to keep the lead. While they were doing that, Notre Dame added to their lead in the seventh. A right-center field double off the bat of Spencer Myers was followed one out later by a hard single to right by Putz. It would end Witkowski’s night and give Notre Dame a two-run lead at seven to five. The Eagles would give themselves a golden chance to either tie or take the lead in the bottom of the inning. Facing the third Irish pitcher of the night, Joe Boyle, Boston College took advantage of his wildness. Boyle walked four to begin the inning with the fourth base on balls producing the Eagles sixth run. Boyle was replaced by Tommy Vail.

Vail gave up the tying run on the fifth walk of the frame to Burns. Then, he lost the lead on a ground ball to second by Baldelli that was fielded by ND second baseman Prajzner. But, his throw to second was high and scored Joe Suozzi to give the Eagles back the lead at nine to seven. Boyle (3-3) loss of the strike zone cost him four runs in the seventh.

For the Eagles, Joey Walsh shut the door on Notre Dame. It would have its drama, however, as Walsh (4-6) loaded the bases in the ninth. He surrendered a run in the ninth on a wild pitch but got LaManna on a deep fly ball to left to end the game and give Boston College the series win nine to seven. Game three of this set is scheduled for noon on Saturday.