Boston College
Rutgers
Baseball Sweeps Double-Header Against No. 21 Rutgers
March 24, 2002 | Baseball
March 24, 2002
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - The Boston College baseball team (11-8, 2-0 BIG EAST) ended its three-game losing streak on Sunday afternoon by sweeping BIG EAST rival and No. 21-ranked Rutgers University (9-8, 0-2 BIG EAST), 8-2 and 8-4, at Shea Field. The two wins on Sunday gives Boston College three wins over a nationally ranked opponent. The other win came against then No. 24-ranked Florida International, 10-3, back on March 3 in Homestead, Fla.
With the win in game one, Boston College head coach Pete Hughes picked up his 100th coaching win as skipper of the Eagles. He took over the reigns at the start of the 1999 season.
The first game of the afternoon pitted Boston College's Chris Lambert, who entered the game undefeated at 3-0, against Rutgers All-America pitcher Bobby Brownlie. What was scheduled to be a pitchers dual turned in to a hitting barrage by the Eagle batters and a strong outing my Lambert.
The Eagles pounded 12 hits, three of which were home runs. Junior Vinny Scavone, seniors Jeff Mackor and Brian Durkin each registered roundtrippers. The three combined for six of the Eagles' eight RBI. Mackor was the only player in the first game to record three hits, as he finished 3-for-3 from the plate, with two runs and two RBI. Durkin nailed his third home run of the season in the fifth, when he drilled a three-run shot to center field.
From a pitching standpoint, Lambert moved his 2002 overall record to 4-0 after throwing five complete innings for the Eagles. He scattered only two hits, while walking four and striking out seven Rutgers' batters. Sophomore Matt O'Donnell also gave the Eagles a strong two innings to close out the game. He gave up three hits, two runs, while striking out three Scarlet Knight batters.
Brownlie (3-2) only lasted four innings for Rutgers, as he gave up five runs (all earned) on seven hits, while striking out five Boston College batters. It is only the second BIG EAST Conference loss for the junior over his three seasons with the Scarlet Knights.
Game two was similar to game one, in that the Eagles' exploded for seven runs in the first two innings and never looked back. Right fielder Brian Macchi was the hero of the second game as he went 2-for-4 with five RBI and two doubles. Macchi just missed a grand slam in the bottom of the second when his blast to center field hit inches below the top of the fence, however, his double scored three runs. He now has a team-leading 15 doubles on the season.
Second basemen Josh DiScipio also had a strong afternoon for head coach Pete Hughes' squad. He finished with four hits on the afternoon, three of which came in the second game. Senior pitcher Mark Sullivan earned his fourth win of the season (4-1) after going seven innings. He allowed 10 hits, four runs (all earned) and struck out four Rutgers' batters.
Boston College and Rutgers will conclude its three-game series at 1 p.m. Monday at Shea Field. The Eagles are scheduled to pitch freshman Kevin Shepard, while the Scarlet Knights will send Tom Wheeler to the mound.
