BC Baseball: Eighth-Inning Homer Lifts Pack Over Eagles

Box Score (PDF) | Postgame Interview (VIDEO)

Raleigh, N.C. – The Boston College baseball team fell, 2-1, to No. 22 NC State on Friday to open Atlantic Coast Conference play at Doak Field at Dail Park in Raleigh, N.C. The Eagles (5-7, 0-1 ACC) were leading after an RBI, ground-rule double by sophomore Brian Dempsey in the fifth, but Will Wilson hit a two-out, two-run homer in the eighth to lift the Wolfpack (12-2, 1-0 ACC) to the win.

Junior RHP Jacob Stevens (2-2) threw a career-high eight innings in the loss. He allowed just five hits and two walks while striking out eight in a 107-pitch performance. The home run was the first allowed by the righty in 2018.

The Eagles and Wolfpack will play a doubleheader on Saturday, March 10 beginning at 1 p.m.

GAME INFORMATION
Score: No. 22 NC State 2, Boston College 1
Records: Boston College (5-7, 0-1 ACC) at NC State (12-2, 1-0 ACC)
Series: NC State leads the series, 1-0
Location: Doak Field at Dail Park in Raleigh, N.C.

BC HIGHLIGHTS

• Junior RHP Jacob Stevens threw a career-high eight innings, allowing just five hits, two runs, and two walks. He struck out eight on the day.
• Sophomore Brian Dempsey tallied his first extra-base hit of the season in the form of a ground-rule double in the fifth. He has a hit in 10 of the Eagles’ 12 games this season and one in 24 of the last 32 games played, dating back to last season.
• Sophomore Jack Cunningham extended his hit streak to career-long seven games with a lead-off single in the eighth. It ties for the longest hit streak of the season for BC.
• Senior Jake Palomaki was the other BC batter to record a hit, extending his hit streak to six games.

KEY PLAY

• With two outs in the eighth, Will Wilson launched the first pitch he saw from Stevens over the left-field wall to lift the Pack, 2-1, over the Eagles.
• LHP Kent Klyman threw a 123 ninth to preserve the NC Steve victory.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Dempsey broke the scoreless tie in the fifth. Freshman Chris Galland reached on an error and stole second to move into scoring position. After Cunningham drew a walk, Dempsey knocked one to the corner in left. It bounced into foul ground to score Galland.
• The Eagles threatened again in the eighth as Cunningham led off with a single to right and Dempsey moved him up with a sac bunt. Dempsey reached on a fielding error and both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Palomaki. NC State brought in RHP Reid Johnston, who got an infield popup and line out to get out of the jam.
• NC State took the lead in the bottom of the inning. With one out, Josh McLain hit a double off the wall in left. Stevens got the next batter swinging but Will Wilson launched the first pitch he saw over the left-center field fence to give the Pack a 2-1 lead.
• Klyman pitched a 123 ninth to hold onto the one-run advantage.

INSIDE THE BOXSCORE

• The NC State victory broke a four-game, regular-season win streak for the Eagles. BC has won four of the last seven games in Raleigh and eight of the last 12 played.
• NC State holds the all-time series advantage, 24-14.
• Galland’s career-long seven-game hit streak came to an end on a 0-for-3 day. It tied for the longest of the season for the Eagles. He scored BC’s only run and added a team-leading eighth stolen base to his season stat line.
• For the seventh time in 2018, the Eagles did not commit an error.
• In his career, Palomaki has nine hits off Pack pitching, which leads all active Eagles.

UP NEXT
The Eagles and Wolfpack return on Saturday to finish the series with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. Both games will be streamed on the ACC Network Extra.