Baseball Falls to Connecticut, 8-7

Tuesday, March 31

Northborough, Mass.

3:00 PM

Boston College

11-14

Connecticut

18-9

Boston College

UConn

March 31, 2015 | Baseball

Box Score

March 31, 2015

Box Score | Coach Gambino Postgame

GAME INFORMATION
Score: Connecticut 8, Boston College 7
Records: Boston College (11-14,), Connecticut (18-9)
Location: New England Baseball Complex in Northborough, Mass.
Weather: 47 degrees, partly cloudy, 11-17 mph winds
Time of Game: 3.01

BC Starting Lineup:
1. Jake Palomaki -- 2B
2. Joe Cronin -- 3B
3. Michael Strem -- CF
4. Chris Shaw -- RF
5. Donovan Casey -- LF
6. Nick Sciortino -- DH
7. Stephen Sauter -- C
8. Mitch Bigras -- 1B
9. Johnny Adams -- SS
Starting Pitcher: LHP Nick Poore

Connecticut Starting Lineup:
1. Jack Sundberg -- CF
2. Vinny Siena -- 2B
3. Bobby Melley -- 1B
4. Blake Davey -- LF
5. Max McDowell -- C
6. Joe Deroche-Duffin -- DH
7. Willy Yahn -- 3B
8. Jon Testani -- RF
9. Aaron Hill -- SS
Starting Pitcher: RHP Andrew Zapata

BC HIGHLIGHTS
·Senior LHP Nick Poore recorded a career-high nine strikeouts in his five-inning start. He allowed two hits, both solo home runs, and two walks in the no decision.
·Freshman Donovan Casey went 4-for-5 with a career-high four RBIs. He launched his first career home run -- a three-run shot -- in the fifth.
·Junior Joe Cronin drew a four-pitch walk in the fifth to extend his on-base streak to 12 games.
·Sophomore Michael Strem was 3-for-5 with two runs and his team-leading 11^th double. Just over one-third (11 of 30) of his hits are doubles.

KEY PLAYS
·The Huskies tied the game in the sixth after the Eagles had a four-run lead off redshirt sophomore RHP Luke Fernandes. When BC scored a run in the top of the seventh, UConn answered in the bottom of the inning.
·Connecticut plated the winning run on a single by Vinny Siena in the eighth with two outs off junior LHP Jesse Adams. While the Eagles got a man to third with two outs in the ninth, they could not bring him home.

HOW IT HAPPENED
·Each team notched a run in the first to tie the game at one. Strem knocked a two-out double to right. Junior Chris Shaw followed with a double to center to score the first run of the game. After Poore struck out the first batter he faced, he gave up a solo shot to dead center to Siena. Poore came back with two strikeouts to retire the side.
· The Eagles took a 3-1 lead in the third. Sophomore Johnny Adams led off with a double to center and moved to third on a wild pitch. Cronin plated him with a grounder down the third-base line. After Strem singled to move Cronin to second, Casey drove in the Eagles' third run with a base hit to right center.
·BC scored three in the fifth off Casey's bat to go up by five. After Cronin drew a four-pitch walk, the Huskies went to the pen for RHP William Montgomerie. He intentionally walked Shaw to get to Casey, who launched a three-run shot over the center-field wall to give the Eagles a 6-1 lead.
· UConn scored one in the bottom of the inning off another solo shot. Joe Deroche-Duffin tallied the Huskies' second hit of the day over the right-field wall to make it 6-2.
·With Fernandes on the hill, the Huskies tied the game scoring four runs in the sixth. They loaded the bases on a double, hit by pitch and single and, with two down, Willy Yahn singled to left to score two. Jon Testani followed with a double to tie the game. Senior RHP Travis Ferrick ended the inning with a grounder.
·BC retook the lead in the top of the seventh, but UConn was able to square the game at seven in the bottom of the inning. With one down and new pitcher RHP Max Slade throwing, the Eagles loaded the bases on a singles by Strem and Casey and a walk by Shaw. Sophomore Nick Sciortino brought in the go-ahead run on a single to right.
·Ferrick surrendered his first run allowed to tie the game. Jack Sundberg led off with a single before Ferrick tallied an out swinging. Redshirt freshman LHP Kevin Connor came in to face the lefty Bobby Melley and surrendered a base hit. Redshirt junior RHP Geoffrey Murphy replaced Connor and allowed a single through the left side to Blake Davey to score Sundberg. Murphy got a popup and a grounder to get out of the inning.
·The Huskies scored the game-winning run in the eighth, taking the lead for the first time. Yahn led off with a double to center before Murphy tallied two outs on a fly ball and a strikeout. Adams entered the game and after walking a batter, gave up a base hit to Siena, allowing Yahn to score.
·In the top of the ninth with RHP NIco Darras out for his second inning, Casey led off with a single and moved to third on a sac bunt and groundout. Freshman pinch hitter Scott Braren a laced a 2-2 pinch to center, but Sundberg made the grab and the Huskies took the game.

OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Darras (2-1): 2.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Losing Pitcher: Murphy (0-1): 1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

TEAM LEADERS
Boston College
Hits: 4, Casey (4-for-5, HR)
Runs: 2, Strem
RBIs: 4, Casey
Stolen Bases: 1, Adams
Strikeouts: 9, Poore

Connecticut
Hits: 2, Siena (2-for-5, HR), Melley (2-for-4, 2B), Yahn (2-for-4, 2B)
Runs: 2, Yahn
RBIs: 2, Siena, Yahn, Testani
Strikeouts: 5, Zapata

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
·The Eagles' five-game win streak comes to an end. It was the longest of the 2015 season to date for BC.
·This is the first time the Huskies defeated the Eagles under head coach Mike Gambino. The Eagles won in 2012-14. The last time UConn won was in 2010 in an 8-4 contest in Storrs, Conn.
·The run in the eighth was the first earned run allowed by Murphy this season. He had made four relief appearances, throwing 7.2 innings before giving up an earned run.
·In the last seven games, Shaw has tallied 12 RBIs, 12 hits, including four doubles and three home runs, and nine runs. He has 10 multiple-RBI games this season.

UP NEXT
The Eagles host Massachusetts back at the New England Baseball Complex in Northborough, Mass., on Wednesday, April 1 at 3 p.m.