Boston College Athletics
Boston College
Virginia
Baseball Falls To No. 5 Virginia, 11-3
May 19, 2007 | Baseball
May 19, 2007
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - Coming into this weekend's series, BC, who was fighting for the eighth and final playoff spot with Wake Forest, hoped to take two of three from the Cavaliers to give themselves a chance. But, as fate would have it, rain forced them to play only two games.
After two rain delays, the Eagles and Cavaliers took the field for a 2:30 p.m. start on a wet Shea Field this afternoon, and the Eagles dropped an 11-3 decision to Virginia on senior day. The loss ended BC's hopes for a postseason bid. BC, who needed a win and a Wake Forest loss to qualify for postseason play, ends its season with an overall record of 24-27-1 and 12-17 in ACC action.
After winning Thursday night's game, Wake forest dropped game two last night to the Hokies, setting up a must win for the Deacons this afternoon. All Wake had to do was win to get in and they did just that, fighting off a late Virginia Tech rally to hold on for a 9-8 win, clinching the final spot to Jacksonville, Fla. for the ACC Championships.
With two outs in the top of the first, Brandon Guyer put the Cavaliers on the board first as he hit a line drive over the left field wall for a two run shot, giving Virginia a 2-0 lead after a half inning.
Virginia's bats stayed hot in the top of the second inning. A single and hit batsman put the first two runners on for the Cavs. After a foul out by Mike Mitchell, Tyler Cannon singled to left field scoring John Scaglione from second.
Brandon Marsh would collect an RBI on a sacrifice and Sean Doolittle would extend Virginia's lead to 5-0 after he doubled to dead center field, scoring Cannon from second. That would be all of the run support that Lambert would need as the Eagles only mustered three runs on five hits.
Doyle would be touched for another home run, again to left field by David Adams, knocking him out of the game in the top of the third. BC senior Nate Jeanes would come in and surrender an unearned run pushing the lead to 7-0.
BC would get on the board in the bottom of the third. With one out and a runner on second, shortstop Ryan Hutchinson singled to center field, scoring Brandon Ziemann from second, and pulling the Eagles to within six, 7-1.
Virginia kept the onslaught going as they tacked on three more in the top of the fifth. With two outs in the inning, Tyler Cannon hit his first career home run, a towering shot to left field, and Virginia comfortably led 10-1.
The Eagles tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the seventh. With two out and two on, senior co-captain Pete Frates fought off several pitches before sending a line drive to left center, scoring Joe Ayers and Mike Belfiore, cutting the deficit to 10-3.
The Eagles' 12 conference wins are three more than one year ago, their initial year in the ACC. Despite losing nine seniors, BC will look to make some noise in the ACC in 2008.
