Boston College Eagles Take to the Road to Face Connecticut

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CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. — Boston College baseball makes its first trip to Connecticut’s newly-opened Elliot Ballpark for a 3 p.m. non-conference match-up on Tuesday, March 30.

About the Eagles…
BC is coming off a sweep to Clemson at home but looks to remain unbeaten against New England opponents having already secured wins over Rhode Island, Maine, Holy Cross, and Merrimack. Junior center fielder Sal Frelick is hitting a team-best .406 with 26 runs scored and slugging .677. Sophomore third baseman Luke Gold leads the Eagles with eight home runs, a .725 slugging percentage, and 27 RBI. Starting each of the last 10 games, sophomore infielder Vince Cimini has lifted his average to .375 with a .490 on-base percentage; while having a 10-game hit streak in that span. On the mound, BC looks to junior right-hander Joe Mancini. He owns a career 7.68 earned run average and 4-8 record.

Scouting the Huskies…
Connecticut has won back-to-back series against Saint Joseph’s and Rhode Island to enter the week at 9-12. Center fielder Kyler Fedko leads the Huskies with a .387 batting average to go with 15 runs and five stolen bases. Catcher Pat Winkel is hitting .280 and slugging .524 with five home runs, while first baseman Reggie Crawford has slugged a team-best six home runs on a .263 batting average and .563 slugging percentage. Right-hander Pat Gallagher goes to the rubber for UConn. He is 1-1 with a 6.14 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 14.2 innings, including two starts.

Last Time They Met…
The former Big East foes met for the final time on Connecticut’s old J.O. Christian Field on March 27, 2019. UConn got two runs against Mancini in the first for all it needed in a 3-1 win. Each side had seven hits and Jack Cunningham posted the lone two-hit day for the Eagles.

All-Time vs. UConn…
Boston College trails the all-time series against Connecticut, 75-56. The Eagles are 15-25 in Storrs; last winning there in 2013, a 7-4 win behind a three-run home run by freshman Chris Shaw in the top of the ninth inning to snap a 15-game losing streak. Shaw’s go-ahead home run was on a two-strike pitch out to right and his second of the day. UConn holds an 8-7 advantage since the Eagles joined the ACC ahead of the 2006 season. As Big East opponents, the Huskies held a 41-30 advantage from 1985-2005. BC won the first league match-up in 1985, 6-2.

Pure Power is Pure Gold…
In just 22 games, Luke Gold has hit eight home runs; leading a BC lineup that has gone deep 23 times; already besting season totals from 2018 (14), 2017 (15), and 2016 (20). Gold is just the third BC hitter with six or more home runs in a season since 2015; Chris Shaw (11, 2015) and Jack Cunningham (9, 2019). Gold posted a three-home run weekend at Auburn and homered in three straight games vs. Holy Cross and UNC. He became the first Eagles since Mickey Wiswall (2010 vs. Clemson).

All-Time Minutes Played Leader?…
The nation’s active sacrifice bunt leader, Brian Dempsey (34) is also 24th among all players nationally with 203 career hits. His 11 sacrifice-flies rank 27th, 193 games played rank 28th and 682 at-bats rank 37th.