Boston College Athletics
Boston College
Florida International
Baseball Falls to Florida International
March 07, 2007 | Baseball
March 7, 2007
MIAMI, Fla. - Baseball looked to rebound from its one run loss to Penn on Monday, but dropped another tough decision last night to the Golden Panthers of Florida International University, 11-10 at University Park Stadium in Miami. The loss is the Eagles' third in a row and their fifth one run loss of the season.
BC held a 10-7 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth, when FIU rallied for four runs on four hits and one error for the comeback win. FIU second baseman Corey Lozano led off the inning with a double to right center off Eagles reliever Dan Houston, who then hit the very next batter to put runners on first and second.
Freshman Michael Belfiore relieved Houston but gave up a RBI single to James McOwen. Panthers' senior Luis Bautista followed with a single to left that would have only scored one, but Eagles left fielder Jared McGuire overran the ball, which allowed McOwen to score and tie the game.
BC's 1-4 hitters kept FIU's fielders busy, going a combined 7-for-16 with eight RBI and six runs scored. Leadoff man Johnny Ayers would collect two hits, including a double and home run, two RBI, and four runs scored.
Senior Ted Ratliff pitched well for the Eagles, allowing only three runs on five hits in six innings of work. Ratliff retired the first six batters he faced before giving up a leadoff double to FIU's Raimy Fuentes in the third.
BC would score three runs in the fifth to take a 4-1 lead. Johnny Ayers hit a two-out double down the left field line to score Tony Sanchez from second, advancing Belfiore to third in the process. Belfiore scored on a passed ball and Ayers came home from third when Bautista's throw home hit Belfiore and rolled to the middle of the infield.
The Eagles would break the game open in the seventh, scoring five times on five hits increasing their lead to 9-3. FIU battled back with four runs in its half of the inning to cut the deficit to 9-7. BC would score its final run in the top of the ninth on an RBI single from Eric Campbell.
The Eagles will look to snap their losing streak when they take on Villanova University in game one of a double-header, today at 11:00 a.m. at the Santaluces Sports Complex in Lantana, Fla.
