Eagles Escape: #20 Boston College Outlasts UMass Lowell in Midweek Thriller

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Ah, the life of a ranked team. Every opponent on your midweek schedule is looking to play their best to add a “signature win” to their resume. The UMass Lowell River Hawks (16-23, 6-12) found themselves in exactly that position on Wednesday night at LeLacheur Park. Facing the #20 Boston College Eagles (34-14, 16-8), the River Hawks gave the visitors all they could handle in an entertaining back-and-forth affair.

In the end, 11 men left on base by the River Hawks, combined with a shutdown performance from the Eagles’ bullpen, gave BC a hard-fought 7-6 victory.

Defense Keeps it Close

The contest featured stellar defensive play from both sides, with the River Hawks turning three double plays and BC adding one of their own. However, this game was ultimately decided by clutch hitting—which the Eagles found, and the River Hawks did not.

Both starting pitchers—Josh Doney for UML and Jacob Burnham for the Eagles—did not factor into the decision, as each went three innings. Doney allowed three earned runs on five hits, but the damage could have been far worse if not for the leatherwork of River Hawks third baseman Joe Delanzo.

Delanzo single-handedly snuffed out two BC rallies. In the second inning, he dived to his right to snag a hard-hit grounder off the bat of Owen DeShazo to spark a double play. In the third, he snagged a line drive from Nick Wang and doubled up Ben Williams, who had strayed too far from second base. Those plays kept the Eagles from blowing the game open in the early frames.

Mainolfi and Solier Set the Pace

Despite the gritty defense from UMass Lowell, the Eagles’ bats still managed to hang seven runs on the board through the first five innings. Second baseman Ty Mainolfi was a persistent thorn in the River Hawks’ side, turning in a massive 4-for-5 night with two runs scored and an RBI. Mainolfi was the only hitter in the BC lineup to record a multi-hit game.

Leadoff hitter Julio Solier was equally disruptive, going 1-for-3 with two runs, two walks, and two stolen bases, bringing his impressive season total to 24 swipes.

The River Hawks’ Rally

Trailing by five, UMass Lowell began chipping away in the sixth. RBI base hits from Delanzo and Scott Donahue (2-for-4) pulled the River Hawks to within 7-4. The rally was nearly larger, but a 3-3-6 double play off the bat of Carlos Martinez (who finished 3-for-5) ended the threat.

In the seventh, UML struck again against BC reliever Sean Hard. Rowan Masse doubled to center to start the frame, followed by a Tyler Kisling walk. After a Ryan Strand sacrifice bunt moved them over, Brayden Cali cleared the bases with a clutch triple down the left-field line. Just like that, it was a 7-6 ballgame.

Hard Slams the Door

UML’s Jake Lefrancois did his part to keep the game within reach, striking out the side in the eighth and retiring the Eagles in order in the ninth.

However, Sean Hard settled in for BC. After allowing a leadoff single to Martinez in the eighth, he retired the next three hitters. In the ninth, Hard remained composed, getting Masse on a dropped third strike and Kisling on a groundout. The final out came on a weak grounder in front of the plate by Strand, which the catcher handled cleanly to preserve the win. For Hard, it was his first save of the season.

Looking Ahead

Following the loss, River Hawks head coach Nick Barese addressed the lack of clutch hitting that has plagued his squad recently. Barese had moved Delanzo into the 2-spot in the order, hoping to spark the top of the lineup, but Delanzo went 1-for-5 with an RBI. While Barese noted his pitching staff was “okay” as a unit, he emphasized two goals for the team’s upcoming 7-game road trip: cleaning up the defense and finding a way to drive in runners in scoring position.

The River Hawks head to Stony Brook for a series starting Saturday. Meanwhile, Boston College prepares for a high-stakes weekend series at Clemson, beginning Friday night.

Quick Stat Check: Those 11 LOBs (Left On Base) really hurt. Do you think Barese will keep Delanzo in the 2-spot for the Stony Brook trip, or is he going to keep shuffling the deck?

Postgame with Coach Nick Barese