Boston College
Connecticut
Baseball Splits with Connecticut
April 14, 2001 | Baseball
April 14, 2001
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - - Senior center fielder Jarett Mendoza (North Dighton, Mass.) drove in four runs to help Boston College overcome a 4-0 deficit and defeat Connecticut 12-8 in the second game of a twinbill Saturday, April 14 at Shea Field. UConn won the first game, 10-6. The split improved both BC and U'Conn's overall records to 17-16-0, respectively. The Huskies lost only their sixth BIG EAST contest in 17 games, and BC moved up to 3-9 in the loop.
Chris Rosado's (Stamford, Conn.) bases-loaded single up the middle brought home two BC runs - including the game-winner - to break an 8-8 tie in the eighth inning. In that frame, BC sent 10 batters to the plate, loading the bases three times to put up four runs on three hits, capitalizing on two UConn defensive miscues and three intentional walks. Mendoza's two-run single also came with runners on all the bags to give BC the 12-8 lead after eight with only one opportunity left for Connecticut.
The Huskies drew first blood in the game, granting BC a 4-0 disadvantage at the bottom of the second. Sophomore designated hitter Scott Lemone's (Benicia, Calif.) first collegiate home run halved the lead. UConn got a run back in the fourth for the 5-2 edge, then BC quickly rang up six runs in the bottom half of that inning for its first lead of the game at 8-5. Lemone contributed a run-scoring groundout followed by Joe Kealty's (Framingham, Mass.) RBI single. Brian Macchi (Milford, Mass.) then doubled down the left field line to drive in two more BC runs. Mendoza powered his first two-run single of the game in that inning as well.
In the sixth, Connecticut knotted the game at eight, thanks to freshman Russ D'Argento, who welcomed BC relief pitcher Mark Sullivan into the game with an RBI double. That was only one of two hits that Sullivan allowed in his 3.1-inning stint, which shut down Connecticut for the remainder of the game. BC got a strong start from senior Chris Gannon (Arlington, Mass.), who gave up eight runs - five earned - on nine hits with six strikeouts in 5.2 innings of work. Jesse Carlson suffered the loss for UConn.
The Eagles mounted six runs in their final at bat but fell 10-6 in the first contest. Home runs by Brian Durkin and Jeff Mackor in the sixth inning ignited the offensive comeback. After Mike Hubbard singled to lead off the seventh, and Matthew Duffey (San Antonio, Texas) doubled to place a man on second and third, Brian Macchi smacked his ninth home run of the season and 14th of his career. That round-tripper tied him for sixth on BC's all-time home run list. UConn extinguished BC's late-game spark when Mike James got pinch hitter Eric Wright to line out and Mendoza to fly out to center for the third and final out.
Connecticut pitcher Peter Soteropoulos improved to 2-0 on the year. BC's starting pitcher, Paul Knapic, suffered the loss after giving up four runs in the first.
Boston College hosts Dartmouth College Tuesday, April 17. Game time is 3 p.m.
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