Boston College Athletics
Boston College
Connecticut
Baseball Comes From Behind To Beat UConn, 5-4
April 01, 2009 | Baseball
April 1, 2009
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STORRS, Conn. - Down a run entering the ninth inning, the Boston College baseball team scored twice to come from behind and beat Connecticut, 5-4, Wednesday afternoon at J.O. Christian Field. Junior Tony Sanchez went 3-for-4 with two homers and three RBI for the Eagles.
Sanchez has hit five home runs in the last five games and now has 10 on the year which is tied for the fifth-most in a single season at BC with Vinny Scavone (2003). His 20 career blasts is tied for seventh on the Eagles' all-time list with Gregg Radachowsky (1987-90) and Jeff Mackor (1999-2002).
Sophomore Garret Smith went 2-for-4 at the plate with a game-tying RBI double in the ninth. He then scored the game-winning run later in the inning on a wild pitch. BC used seven pitchers on the day and junior Mike Belfiore picked up his second win of the season, working 2.0 innings of scoreless ball.
The Eagles were down 4-2 entering the sixth inning and climbed back to steal the win from UConn. With the Huskies leading 4-3 entering the top of the ninth and with one out, junior Barry Butera was hit in the leg with a pitch. Smith stepped to the plate and on an 0-1 count, kicked up some chalk down the right field line for a double which brought Butera all the way around to tie the game, 4-4.
Sophomore Mike Sudol then grounded out to second base which allowed Smith to get to third and on the first pitch to pinch hitter Matt Hamlet, David Erickson threw a wild pitch to the backstop and Smith scored the game-winning run.
Connecticut struck first in the bottom of the second inning with a pair of runs. With one out, George Springer walked and then Mike Nemeth took a 2-0 pitch over the wall in right to give UConn the first runs of the game, 2-0.
The Eagles tied the game up in the top of the fourth with two runs of their own. Redshirt freshman Andrew Lawrence recorded BC's first hit of the game with a single through the right side and then Sanchez tied the game with one swing, hitting a towering home run over the wall in left on a 2-0 offering.
Nick Ahmed put the Huskies back on top with a solo home run on a 3-1 count in the bottom of the fifth. Connecticut then loaded the bases with two outs in the inning and Peter Fatse forced in a run with a walk to push the lead to 4-2.
Sanchez got one of those runs back in the top of the sixth when he turned on a first-pitch fastball and crushed it to left field for his second homer of the game, setting up BC's game-winning ninth inning.
Nemeth went 2-for-3 at the plate for UConn (12-13) with a two-run homer. Ahmed also went 2-for-3 and hit a solo home run. Matt McDonald started the game on the mound and threw 7.0 innings, allowing three runs on four hits with eight strikeouts but he picked up the no decision.
BC (17-9) will host NC State this weekend for a three-game ACC Atlantic Division series. The opening game is scheduled for Friday at 2:30 p.m. at Commander Shea Field. Fans can watch the game live on ACC Select by clicking HERE.
