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At this time of year, every game is important. That also includes mid-week games like the one played on Wednesday afternoon at Harrington Village between the UMass Lowell River Hawks (14-25) and the Boston College Eagles (21-20). As Eagles head coach Todd Interdonato said afterwards, ” We need to be feeling good down the stretch.” Indeed, they should, as they came up with two runs in the bottom of the ninth to wipe away a 4-3 deficit and turn it into a 5-4 win. All thanks to an infield hit by Vinnie Cimini (2-for-4, 1 RS, 1 RBI) that River Hawks 3rd baseman Brendon Fish tried to make a play at the plate on. But his throw home sailed wide, allowing pinch runner Nathanael Frederking to score the winning run.
Both teams received pretty good pitching on Wednesday afternoon. The River Hawks started Andres Hulfactor, who went the first three innings and allowed four hits and an earned run. For Boston College, Kyle Kipp got the nod. The only mistakes he made in his five innings of work came in the second inning. A ground rule double by Carlos Martinez to right was followed by a two-run HR from River Hart down the left field line, his sixth of the year. Afterward, Interdona said, “Kipp hung a couple of breaking balls.” Other than that, Kipp was good, going five innings and giving up two hits, two earned runs, one BB, and five strikeouts. After the home runs, Kipp retired 11 of the last 12 batters he faced.
Boston College chipped away and got single runs in the third, fourth, and fifth to take a 3-2 lead. In the third, a Patrick Roche single to right scored Josiah Ragsdale, who doubled to center field. That made it a 2-1 River Hawks lead. Hulfactor left after three (4 hits, 1 earned run). In the fourth, off of Cam Sime of UML, Cimini singled to right and came around to score on a double to right center by Adam Magpoc, who now has nine RBI in his last five games. It was 2-2 after four innings.
BC took the lead for the first time in the fifth with a base-loaded walk to Gunnar Johnson that scored Ragsdale, who had walked with one out in the inning. The Eagles were up 3-2 after five. Kipp was replaced by JD Ogden, who would get through the sixth, seventh, and eighth with no problem. BC had a great chance to add to their lead in the sixth with a leadoff triple by Magpoc (3-for-4, 1 RBI, a HR short of the cycle). However, he made a baserunning mistake on a fly ball hit by pinch hitter Esteban Garcia to CR. Magpoc never tagged up and just started running toward home. He was able to stop and get back to third, but that mistake cost the Eagles a possible run.
Ogden (3-2) was still on the hill in the ninth, looking for a save for his team. After getting the first two hitters by strikeout, UMass Lowell struck out 11 times in the game. Ogden ran into trouble giving up two walks and an infield single to SS by Martinez (2-for-3, 2 RS) that gave the River Hawks a base-loaded chance. It was rewarded by a single up the middle by Jake Fitgibbons that scored both Fish and Martinez. It gave the lead back to UML at 4-3 heading to the bottom of the ninth.
Jake LeFrancios was now in relief for the River Hawks. He got the leadoff hitter, Ragsdale, to ground out to second base. He would walk the next hitter, Roche, and his day was over. Kevin Zarnoch (0-6) was called in to pick up what would be a big save for UML. The first batter he faced was Jack Toomey, who hit a fly ball to right field. River Hawks RF Martinez played it safe, and it cost him a base hit and put runners at the corners with one out. Interdonato said afterwards, “Biggest play of the game.” From there, Zarnock gave up a single up the middle to Kyle Wolff, which scored Roche and tied the game at 4-4. He then hit Johnson to reload the bases, setting up Cimin with the game-winning hit down the third base side that Fish tried to make a play at the plate on, but could not throw out Toomey. Eagles win 5-4 on a walk-off.
Interdonato was happy with the at-bats in the ninth. He thought they were good ones that gave his team a chance. He praised Ogden for preconceiving that he could finish the game. He was happy he not only got the win, but also saved his bullpen for the weekend. For Boston College, it’s a series with Miami that includes a Sunday game at Fenway Park for the annual ALS game. For UML, it is back home to face Binghamton in America East play.
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