ACC Championship Runs Ends for BC Baseball

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DURHAM, N.C. – No. 20 and sixth-seeded Boston College pushed No. 6 and third-seeded Clemson to the final out in a 4-1 defeat with the tying run at the plate from Durham Bulls Athletic Park on Friday afternoon. The loss eliminated the Eagles from the ACC Championship, while the Tigers moved on to Saturday’s semifinals.

Clemson (41-17) opened the scoring in the bottom of the first on a two-run home run from Caden Grice. The Tigers added to their lead in the second on a one-out double from Jack Crighton.

Junior right-hander John West (Shrewsbury, Mass.) relieved graduate starter Chris Flynn (Naugatuck, Conn.) after two innings of work, and West began his day with a 1-2-3 third inning. He followed that up with a nearly immaculate fourth, striking out the side on 10 pitches. He retired the first 12 he faced before Clemson got a hit in the seventh. The Tigers threatened in the frame, but West responded with his sixth punchout of the day to strand runners at the corners.

West went 5.2-scoreless innings, while Flynn (7-3) took the loss in a two-inning start. He allowed four runs on three hits and two walks with two strikeouts.

Senior second baseman Vince Cimini (Scranton, Pa.) logged the Eagles’ first two hits on the day, a double in the second and a single in the fourth. The third BC hit came with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, with sophomore third baseman Nick Wang (Newton, Mass.) driving a solo shot deep over the left-field fence, putting BC on the board and making it 4-1. Two Eagles reached via a free pass, which got the tying run to the plate and forced Clemson’s Ryan Ammons to come in for the save; his fifth of the year.

Austin Gordon (2-4) got the start for Clemson and delivered six-scoreless innings, holding the Eagles to two hits.

DETAILS
Score: No. 8 Clemson 4, No. 20 Boston College 1
Records: Clemson 41-17, Boston College 35-18
Stadium: Durham Bulls Athletic Park
Attendance: 3,348

BC HIGHLIGHTS
● West threw 5.2 scoreless innings of relief, allowing just one hit and striking out seven, and retired the first 12 batters he faced.
● Wang put Boston College on the board with a solo home run in the top of the ninth.
● Cimini went 2-4 with a single and a double.

GAME NOTES
●      BC is 6-8 all-time in the ACC Championship and 1-1 against Clemson.
●      BC is 12-10 against ranked opponents this season.
●      BC is 12-11 when the opponent scores in the first inning and 11-13 when the opponent scores first.
●      Cimini hit his fourth double of the season and 14th of his career.
●      Cimini recorded his 15th multi-hit game of the season and 21st of his career.
●      Flynn allowed four earned runs or more for just the fourth time in 15 starts this season.
●      Mercado pushed his career-best reached base streak to 11 games and stole 11th base of the season.
●      Walsh matched his career-best reached base streak at 15.

UP NEXT
Boston College awaits its NCAA postseason fate. The 16 regional host sites will be announced on Sunday night followed by the NCAA Selection Show Monday at Noon ET on ESPN2.