Boston College Athletics
Boston College
West Virginia
Baseball Picks Up Sweep Against West Virginia
April 12, 2002 | Baseball
April 12, 2002
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - In what turned out to be a crazy afternoon at Shea Field, the Boston College baseball team (17-13, 8-4 BIG EAST) picked up a much needed sweep against BIG EAST rival West Virginia (17-13, 6-6 BIG EAST) on Friday afternoon. The Eagles won both contests in 10 innings, as they won game one, 5-4, and game two, 8-7. With the two wins, the Eagles also move back up to the top of the BIG EAST standings.
In one of the craziest games of the 2002 season for the Eagles, Boston College battled back in its half of the seventh inning to tie the game at 4-4. First baseman Vinny Scavone singled in left fielder Drew Locke to knot the game up and move the contest into extra innings.
Following the seventh inning, West Virginia stranded four base runners (23 on the afternoon), which ended up being the achilles heal for them all afternoon. In the 10th inning, following a single by designated hitter Matthew Duffey and an intentional walk to catcher Jeff Mackor, left fielder Brian Durkin hit a single to right field to give the Eagles the win. Durkin had a productive game one, as he went 3-for-5 with the one RBI.
In game one, freshman Jake Marsello pitched for the Eagles, however, did not pick up the win. He pitched four innings, allowing six hits, three runs (two earned), four walks and struck out three West Virginia batters. Sophomore Mike Gauthier (1-2) picked up the win for Boston College, as he went three innings. He allowed two hits, zero runs, three walks and struck out two batters.
For West Virginia, pitcher Billy Biggs (5-4) had a strong outing, as he went 9.1 innings giving up 11 hits, five runs (four earned), two walks and struck out five batters.
After a dramatic game one, the Eagles carried their momentum into the second game. Boston College jumped out to a convincing 7-0 lead through six complete innings, however, following a scoreless seventh inning for both teams the game got quite interesting.
Following seven strong innings by starting pitcher Chris Lambert, the Eagles went to their bullpen to try and seal the victory. However, the Mountaineers had something else in mind. West Virginia torched pitcher Mike Stuart for three runs in the eighth and then four runs off of Mark Sullivan in the ninth to knot the game at 7-7 and send it into extra innings.
In the ninth inning, West Virginia loaded the bases on Sullivan with two outs. Left fielder Dallas Crews stepped to the plate and crushed a grand slam to left center to tie the game up at 7-7. In the second game, Crews finished 3-for-5 with one run and an amazing six RBI. He was definitely the hero of the afternoon for West Virginia, as he went 5-for-7 in the two contests with two runs and seven RBI.
However, the late surge by the Mountaineers would not be enough, as in the bottom of the tenth inning Locke singled in short stop Ryan Morgan to give the Eagles the victory. Locke had an outstanding afternoon from the plate, as he went 6-for-11 from the plate. He recorded four doubles, four runs and two RBI in the two contests.
Mackor hit his fifth and sixth home runs of the year on the afternoon, which now leads the team. On the He finished the day going 5-for-8 from the plate and recorded two home runs, scored three runs and had three RBI.
Despite giving up the grand slam home run in the top of the ninth, Sullivan (6-2) notched his sixth win of the season. He went two complete innings, allowing three hits, four runs (all earned), one walk and struck out four batters. Lambert missed out on his seventh win of the season, but did have a solid showing for head coach Pete Hughes. He went seven innings allowing three hits, zero runs, five walks and struck out six.
The Boston College baseball team returns to action at 12 p.m. Sunday when it takes on BIG EAST foe Georgetown University at Shea Field. Last season in Washington, D.C., the Eagles and Hoyas split a doubleheader. Georgetown took game one, 3-1, but Boston College battled back in the nightcap to win, 8-6.
