Ninth-Inning Rally One-Run Short in Regional Opener

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Boston College loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the ninth, facing a two-run deficit, but settled for just one run as its comeback attempt against Troy in the opening game of the Tuscaloosa Regional fell short in an 11-10 loss on Friday. The Eagles (35-19) moved into Saturday’s elimination game against the loser of Friday night’s Alabama and Nicholls match-up.

After the Trojans plated three runs in the opening frame, Barry Walsh (Sterling, Mass.) doubled to lead off the bottom of the first. Peter Burns (Reading, Mass.) moved him to third on a flyout to center, and Patrick Roche (Milton, Mass.) made it a 3-1 game on a grounder to third base.

Back out for the second, John West (Shrewsbury, Mass.) settled in, setting down the Trojans 1-2-3 on eleven pitches. With one down in the bottom of the frame, Sam McNulty (Cambridge, Mass.) lined his fourth double of the season down the third-base line. With a double to his name already, Barry Walsh delivered an equalizer, launching a two-run home run deep to right-center. Walsh tied the game at 3-3 on the final pitch before the game was paused for a two-hour, nineteen-minute rain delay.

McNulty’s second-inning double paved the way for a 4-for-4 showing at the plate for the sophomore shortstop, including a two-out, two-run double to make it a two-run game in the seventh inning.

Eric Schroeder (Ridgewood, N.J.) took over on the bump after the delay, setting down nine of the first ten batters he faced. Joe Vetrano (Shrub Oak, N.Y.) broke the tie in the bottom of the fifth, taking Troy reliever Ben Thompson deep to dead center field for his 19th long ball of the season.

Joey Ryan (Norwood, Mass.) relieved Schroeder after 4.1 scoreless innings of work. The sophomore allowed just three scattered hits, struck out two, and walked none.

Troy recaptured the lead in the top of the seventh, scoring five on the back of two home runs surrendered by Ryan. The Trojans put up two more in the top of the eighth, but Joe Vetrano responded in the bottom of the frame with his second homer of the day, this time a three-run shot to bring the Eagles within one.

Trailing by two in the bottom of the ninth, the winning run reached second base after Vetrano was issued an intentional walk with two outs to reload the bases. The Eagles comeback effort fell just short, with Troy’s Zach Fruit picking up the two-inning save on a Nick Wang lineout.

Joey Ryan (1-1) was charged with the loss. Ben Thompson (6-3) earned the win for Troy, throwing 4.2 innings of relief.
DETAILS
Score: Troy 11, No. 24 Boston College 10
Records: Troy 40-20, Boston College 35-19
Stadium: Sewell-Thomas Stadium
Attendance: 4,714

BC HIGHLIGHTS

Trailing 3-0 in the first, Walsh hit a leadoff double and scored on a groundball hit to third by Roche.
Walsh tied the game in the bottom of the second with a two-run home run to right-center on the final pitch before a two-hour, 19-minute rain delay.

GAME NOTES

BC is 23-24 all-time in 12 NCAA Tournament appearances.
BC is 11-15 when the opponent scores first, 12-12 when the opponent scores in the first inning, and has allowed the opponent to score in the first inning in three consecutive games.
McNulty hit his fourth and fifth doubles of the season, his first two-double game, and pushed his career total to 11.
McNulty posted his fourth multi-hit game of the season and ninth of his career; matching a career-high with three hits.
Mercado singled to reach successfully in his 12th straight game.
Vetrano recorded the fifth two-home run game of his career to push his season total to 20 and career total to 33. He passed Mickey Wiswall (2010) for second in a single season and is third all-time for his career.
Vetrano notched his third four-RBI game of the season to push his season total to 59 and pass Brian Macchi (2001) for seventh in a season at BC.
Walsh hit his 10th double of the season and 19th of his career.
Walsh hit his seventh home run of the season and 12th of his career.
Walsh recorded his 15th multi-hit game of the season and 25th of his career and extended his career-best reached base streak to 16 games.

UP NEXT
BC awaits the loser of Alabama vs. Nicholls for an elimination game on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET. Graduate RHP Chris Flynn (Naugatuck, Conn.) gets the ball for the Eagles.