Boston College
Notre Dame
Baseball Drops Game One To Notre Dame, 8-2
May 17, 2002 | Baseball
May 17, 2002
NOTRE DAME, Ind. - The Boston College baseball team will have to wait at least one day before wrapping up a berth to the BIG EAST tournament, as it fell to conference rival Notre Dame, 8-2, at Frank Eck Stadium on Friday evening.
Boston College (30-21, 15-9 BIG EAST) and Notre Dame (39-14, 16-8 BIG EAST) will play a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Frank Eck Stadium. The first pitch will go off at 12:05 p.m., while the second contest will start 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first contest. Boston College freshman Chris Lambert will go against Notre Dame freshman John Axford in the seven-inning contest, while freshman Kevin Shepard will dual with junior Pete Ogilvie in the series finale.
With the win, the Irish clinch a berth to the 2002 BIG EAST tournament. On the other hand, Boston College still needs to defeat Notre Dame at least once, or have Connecticut lose one game to Pittsburgh.
On Friday night, the Eagles jumped on the board first when right fielder Brian Macchi doubled to left center in the third inning, which allowed left fielder Neal McCarthy to score from second base. For Macchi, it was his 65th hit of the season, 24th double and 62nd RBI.
Notre Dame got on the board in the fourth inning, as it posted two runs off of BC starting pitcher Mark Sullivan. Catcher Jeff O'Toole drove in the first run when he laced a single to left field, which allowed left field Brian Stavisky to score from second. Third baseman Andrew Bushey scored the second run of the inning after designated hitter Matt Bok grounded into a 6-4-3 double play.
The Irish posted their third run of the game in the sixth inning when O'Toole flied out to center field, which allowed Stavisky to score from third base. With the score 3-1, Boston College got on the board again when designated hitter Brian Durkin drilled a solo home run to right field off of Notre Dame relief pitcher J.P. Gagne. For the senior, it was his team leading 12th home run of the season.
In the bottom of the seventh, Irish second baseman Steve Sollmann drilled a single to left field off of Sullivan, which allowed short stop Javier Sanchez to score from third and give Notre Dame a 4-2 lead.
The wheels came undone for Sullivan in the bottom of the eighth. After retiring the first two batters of the inning, Sullivan walked the next batter then hit the next two. With the bases loaded, first baseman Joe Thaman crushed a grand slam to right field to give the Irish an 8-2 lead.
Boston College finished the game out-hitting Notre Dame, 9-7. McCarthy and second baseman Josh DiScipio led the Eagles from the plate. McCarthy went 2-for-3 with the one run scored, while DiScipio went 2-for-3. Besides McCarthy, Macchi and Durkin, center fielder Drew Locke, short stop Ryan Morgan and catcher Jeff Mackor each tallied one hit apiece.
Notre Dame starting pitcher Grant Johnson (6-4) picked up the win, as he went six innings allowing four hits, one run (earned), two walks while striking out six Boston College batters. Sullivan (10-3) pitched 7.2 innings for the Eagles, as he gave up eight runs (six earned) on six hits while walking four and striking out two batters. The senior finished the evening throwing 135 pitches.
Stavisky led the Irish from the plate, as he went 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored. O'Toole went 1-for-3 with two RBI.
