Boston College Athletics
Baseball Opens Season At Tulane This Weekend
February 17, 2010 | Baseball
Feb. 17, 2010
The Boston College baseball team will open the 2010 season with a three-game series at Tulane at Greer Field at Turchin Stadium. The series opens Friday night in New Orleans at 6:30 p.m. CT.
The Eagles will then take on the Green Wave on Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. CT. All games will be available on Gametracker, by listening online at WIST AM 690 or by watching the video broadcast by Tulane. Links can be found at the top of the page.
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCH UPS (BC listed first)
Friday: LHP Pat Dean (6-4, 3.30) vs. RHP Conrad Flynn (8-3, 3.93)
Saturday: RHP Mike Dennhardt (5-2, 4.96) vs. LHP Matt Petiton (5-3, 5.13)
Sunday: TBD vs. RHP Robby Broach
Records and ERAs from 2009 season
WEEKEND WEATHER FORECAST
Friday: Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the low 60s and lows in the upper 40s.
Saturday: Times of sun and clouds. Highs in the mid 60s and lows in the low 50s.
Sunday: Occasional showers possible. Highs in the mid 60s and lows in the upper 50s.
BC OPENS 2010 IN NEW ORLEANS
• The Boston College baseball team, which emerged into the national spotlight last season, opens the 2010 campaign with a three-game series at Tulane from February 19-21.
• The Eagles won their first six games last season and went on to win eight of the first nine contests.
2009 AT A GLANCE
• Boston College had a number of firsts and bests during the 2009 season.
• The Eagles advanced to their first NCAA postseason since 1967 - a total of 42 years.
• They advanced to their first ACC Championship where they went 2-1 to earn a berth into the Austin Regional.
• Junior C Tony Sanchez was the first All-America first team honoree in school history when Baseball America put him on that list. He was also the first All-ACC first teamer BC has had.
• Sanchez was drafted with the No. 4 overall pick in the MLB First-Year Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates. It was the highest any BC player has been drafted in baseball and only football's Matt Ryan (No. 3) has been drafted higher in any other sport.
• Senior CF Robbie Anston broke the single-season hits record and junior INF Mickey Wiswall tied the previous mark. Anston finished with 85 and Wiswall had 82. The previous record was Jared McGuire's 82 hits in 2007.
THE TRAVELS OF A NEW ENGLAND TEAM
• BC will travel nearly 10,000 miles before its first home game on March 23. In fact, approximate numbers by Google Maps puts the number at 9,999 miles.
• Boston College opens the season with a series at Tulane in New Orleans, La. on February 19.
• The Eagles then head to Auburn the following weekend for three games vs. the Tigers, Florida Atlantic and Missouri.
• BC heads back to campus on Sunday from Auburn before leaving for Fort Myers on March 2 to play the Red Sox the following day.
• The Eagles will spend 13 days in Florida with a series at both Florida Atlantic and Florida International before opening ACC play on March 12 at Miami.
• BC will then take bus trips to UConn and Bryant on March 16 and 17, respectively, before traveling to Virginia on the weekend of March 19-21.
WISWALL NAMED PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN
• Junior INF Mickey Wiswall was named to the Baseball America Preseason All-America Second Team.
• A product of nearby Stoneham, Wiswall was an All-ACC Second Team and All-Northeast Region Second Team selection last year.
• He was also named to the Austin Regional and ACC All-Tournament teams. He was one of two players to start all 60 games last season and he has started 107 games in his two years at BC.
• Wiswall led one of the best offenses BC has ever seen in 2009 with 14 home runs, 63 RBI and 141 total bases. His RBI and hit (82) totals rank second in a season in program history and his 14 home runs rank third.
• Wiswall was also second on the team in slugging (.551) and fourth in batting average (.320). He ranked seventh in the ACC in RBI, ninth in homers, 12th in total bases and 15th in hits.
EAGLES PICKED THIRD IN ATLANTIC
• The Boston College baseball team was picked to finish third in the ACC Atlantic Division in a preseason vote of the conference's 12 head coaches.
• The Eagles' third-place pick was the highest they have been voted in the ACC preseason poll since their first season in the league in 2006.
• BC was picked to finish fifth in each of the last three seasons.
• Florida State garnered 10 first-place votes in the Atlantic and is the coaches' pick to win the division. Clemson earned two first-place votes and finished in second. NC State, Wake Forest and Maryland were fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively.
• Defending ACC champion Virginia is the coaches' selection to win the Coastal Division and become the overall champion. It earned 11 first-place votes to win the division and eight to win the entire conference.
• Florida State received three votes to win the ACC and North Carolina had the other vote.
MORAN NAMED TO STOPPER WATCH LIST
• Junior RHP Kevin Moran was named to the initial watch list for the sixth annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Stopper of the Year Award, given to the top relief pitcher in the nation.
• Moran, a product of Yarmouthport, Mass., made 26 appearances out of the bullpen in 2009 and emerged as the go-to reliever for BC.
• The fiery righty finished with a 5-2 record and a 2.75 ERA in 52.1 innings of work.
• He allowed 22 runs (16 earned) on 51 hits and struck out 37 while walking 26 batters.
PUT THE BROOMS AWAY
• For the first time since 2005, Boston College did not get swept in a three-game series in 2009.
• The Eagles won four of the first five three-game ACC series of the season against Florida State, Maryland, NC State and Wake Forest.
• BC lost two games each in series against Clemson, Virginia, Duke, Miami and North Carolina.
A DEEP ROTATION
• Boston College enters the season with numerous proven starters in its rotation.
• Junior LHP Pat Dean will anchor the team in the No. 1 weekend slot. He went 6-4 last year with a 3.30 ERA. He struck out 90 batters and walked just 16.
• Sophomore RHP Mike Dennhardt was tabbed to start the second game of the weekend by Aoki. He went 5-2 with a 4.96 ERA last year and spent the summer with the Chatham Anglers in the Cape Cod League.
• Junior RHP John Leonard could end up being the third starter. He was the third guy for most of last year and came on strong at the end of the season. He was a Cape League all-star over the summer with the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox.
• Junior RHP Kevin Moran is another option to start on the hill. Moran was the go-to guy out of the bullpen last year with a 5-2 record and 2.75 ERA.
• The place where BC could be the most improved is during the week with numerous options to choose from.
• Senior RHP Dane Clemens has come on strong in the fall and spring, sophomore RHP Taylor Lasko has talent and experience and freshman RHP Andrew Del Colle has been impressing the staff and pushing for time.
BIG SHOES TO FILL
• The Eagles will have to replace a few very important pieces that left early for the MLB Draft.
• C Tony Sanchez was drafted fourth overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates - the highest anyone from BC has been drafted.
• Nobody on the Boston College roster has seen time in a game behind the plate going into the season.
• LHP/1B Mike Belfiore was drafted by Arizona in Comp Round A (45th overall). He was BC's closer (nine saves) and was an important piece to the lineup (.273, 11 HR, 62 RBI).
• Sophomore RHP Matt Brazis will be relied on to fill the role in the bullpen and there are a couple of options to replace him at first base, including senior captain John Spatola.
• Barry Butera, who spent time in RF and in the infield, was drafted in the 21st round by Houston. BC will have numerous options to fill the hole he left behind.
GETTING DEFENSIVE
• Boston College ranked third in the ACC and 28th in the nation in fielding percentage last year at .972.
• The only major loss on the diamond, though, was Tony Sanchez behind the plate. He started 58 games last season.
• To help soften the blow, junior Garret Smith has been converted from shortstop to catcher.
• Sophomore Brad Zapenas, who started 52 games at second in 2009, will move to shortstop. Junior Matt Hamlet, who did not commit an error last year, will start at second.
• Junior Mickey Wiswall returns to third base and senior captain John Spatola will start at first. He was the defensive replacement when Mike Belfiore went to the mound in relief.
• In the outfield, the Eagles return senior CF Robbie Anston, who started every game in 2009.
• Despite the loss of Barry Butera, BC has plenty of options at either side of the outfield, including: Spatola, freshman Matt McGovern, sophomore Andrew Lawrence, senior Mike Sudol and sophomore Marc Perdios.
SUMMER ALL-STARS
• Six BC baseball players earned all-star accolades in their respective summer leagues last year.
• Junior RHP John Leonard and junior INF Mickey Wiswall played in the Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star Game at Fenway Park.
• Senior RHP Chris Kowalski was named to the Eastern All-Star Team in the New England Collegiate Baseball League as the team's closer.
• Junior INF Matt Hamlet was named the starting second baseman for the National All-Stars in the Coastal Plains League and served as the team's leadoff hitter.
• Finally, sophomore RHP Matt Brazis and sophomore INF Anthony Melchionda were both all-stars in the Valley Baseball League.
LEONARD LOOKS TO IMPROVE
• Junior RHP John Leonard went 1-5 with a 7.09 ERA last year, but that does not tell the whole story.
• Leonard pitched his best in his last three starts of the season and continued that success over the summer in the Cape Cod League.
• He had the best outing of his career on May 14 vs. No. 4 North Carolina to propel the Eagles into the ACC Championship.
• He threw 5.1 innings and allowed one run on five hits. He struck out five and walked three. He did not get a decision.
• Leonard also had a solid start against No. 7 Florida State in the ACC Championship opener. He pitched 5.0 innings and allowed four runs on five hits. He struck out four and walked two.
• Against Army in the final game of the Austin Regional, he tossed 6.1 innings and allowed four runs on seven hits.
• He had an ERA of 5.00 in his last three games compared to a 7.88 ERA up to that point.
• Leonard signed on with the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox in the Cape and performed well. He finished with a 2-1 record in six starts and had an ERA of 2.57. He struck out 26 while walking 10.
DEAN IS DOMINANT
• Junior LHP Pat Dean earned a spot on the weekend rotation on April 12 of last season and hasn't looked back since.
• Ten of his 15 outings on the mound were quality starts.
• He led the team in starts (15), wins (6) and strikeouts (90).
• Dean walked just 16 batters in his 95.1 innings of work as well.
• For the season, Dean had a 3.30 ERA and a 6-4 record.
• He ranked fifth in the ACC in ERA, sixth in innings pitched and seventh in stirkeouts.
THE LONGEST GAME
• BC made history when it played the No. 1 national seed Texas in the second game of the Austin Regional at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
• The two teams battled for 25 innings before Texas finally scored in the top of the inning to win, 3-2. It was the longest game in NCAA history.
• Below are a few highlights from the historic evening:
- Both teams received a standing ovation at the conclusion of the game
- It was 96 degrees at first pitch at 6:02 p.m. The game finished at 78 degrees at 1:05 a.m.
- Texas introduced the 21st inning stretch
- There were 683 pitches thrown in the game
- Texas stranded 24 men on base
- There were 11 walks in the game compared to 42 strikeouts
- The 10 p.m. ET game at UC Irvine game started and finished
- BC and Texas combined to set NCAA records with 42 strikeouts, 222 total chances, 69 assists, 192 plate appearances and 171 at-bats.
HARD TO REPLACE
• BC lost two of its most productive hitters from last season to the draft in Mike Belfiore and Tony Sanchez.
• Belfiore smacked 11 home runs and drove in 62 which ranked third and second on the team, respectively, in 2009. Sanchez led the team with 14 homers and 63 runs and was third with 51 RBI.
• The Eagles return junior INF Mickey Wiswall who batted .320 and led the team with 14 homers and 63 RBI from the clean-up spot.
• The coaching staff is looking to sophomore Anthony Melchionda and freshman C Matt Watston to help protect Wiswall in the line up.
POWER SURGE
• Boston College hit 58 home runs last year - the most since 2000 when it also had 58.
• It also had three players with 10 or more home runs in Mike Belfiore (11), Tony Sanchez (14) and Mickey Wiswall (14).
• The Eagles' three players with double-digit homers was the most in program history.
• BC did not have a player with 10 or more homers since 2002 when it had two.
• Boston College hit 24 round-trippers in 22 games at Eddie Pellagrini Diamond at Commander Shea Field last year. In all of 2008, the Eagles hit just eight out of Shea Field in 21 games.
THE 30-WIN MARK
• The Eagles reached the 30-win mark last season for the first time since 2005 and it was the sixth time they reached that number in program history.
• The Eagles' 34 wins in 2009 was the third-most in program history.
EARLY BIRDS
• The Eagles made a habit of getting ahead early in the ball game last year.
• BC scored first in 41 of its 60 games and scored in the first inning 26 times.
• The Eagles scored three or more runs 11 of the 26 times they scored in the first inning.
• BC outscored opponents 72-39 in the first inning last year.
• Boston College was 29-12 when it crossed the plate first.
CLUTCH HITTING
• BC had 142 RBI with two outs last season and Mike Belfiore led the team with 33.
• Junior INF Mickey Wiswall was second on the team with 22 two-out RBI and Tony Sanchez had 15.
• A total of 37 percent of the RBI that BC has recorded came with two outs.
SMALL BALL
• BC forced the action last season with sacrifices and stolen bases.
• The Eagles had 73 sacrifice hits which led the ACC and was fourth in the nation.
• Miami was second in the conference in the category with 45.
• Twelve different players successfully moved runners along.
• The Eagles were also 41-for-72 when attempting to steal last season.
• Senior CF Robbie Anston led the team with 15 stolen bases on 18 attempts.
• A total of 11 players stole at least one base.
ANSTON SETS HITS RECORD
• Senior CF Robbie Anston emerged as one of the best leadoff hitters in the ACC last season.
• The Odessa, Fla., product reached base on 57 of 121 opportunities leading off an inning. That is a .471 average.
• Anston racked up 85 hits last season which set the Boston College record.
• He broke Jared McGuire's record of 82 hits in 2005.
• He also scored 55 times which is the fourth-most in a single season at BC.
• Anston finished the season ranked fourth in the ACC in doubles (22), eighth in hit batsman (12), 10th in steals (15), 12th in hits (85) and 20th in on-base percentage (.436) and runs (55).
A LOT OF YUK
• Junior LHP Nate Bayuk came out of nowhere to become a key component of the Boston College bullpen last season.
• The Foxboro, Mass., native had the most appearances with 32. He threw a total of 14.1 innings and allowed five runs on 15 hits.
• In his first four appearances, none of the six runners he inherited scored. For the season, he allowed 14 of 48 inherited runners to score.
• Bayuk came on in relief with one out in the ninth in a bases loaded jam on April 29 vs. Dartmouth. He picked up his first save of the year after striking out the Big Green's two best hitters to end the threat.
• Bayuk appeared in each of the three games in Austin and inherited seven runners. None of them scored.
TEAM BESTS
• The 2009 squad was one of the best offensive teams BC has ever produced.
• The Eagles set program records with 649 hits and 151 doubles and also had the most runs (416) and RBI (380) since 1999.
• BC also has the best team fielding percentage (.972) dating back to 1990. That number was tied for third in the ACC and 22nd nationally.
SUCCESS ON THE ROAD
• Boston College earned its first winning record on the road since joining the ACC in 2006.
• The Eagles started hot and swept a four-game series at Stetson to start the season then won their first game of a two-game set at Florida Gulf Coast. BC won eight of their first nine away from home (neutral included).
• It was the first time since the opening of the 2006 season that BC won five-straight on the road.
• As the designated visiting team (including neutral site games), Boston College was 20-12.
2010 CAPTAINS
• The Boston College baseball team voted seniors Robbie Anston, Chris Kowalski and John Spatola as captains for the 2010 season.
• Anston, a center fielder from Odessa, Fla., emerged as one of the best leadoff hitters in the ACC last season. Anston batted .471 (57-for-121) when he led off an inning and his 85 hits established a new Boston College single season record. He also scored 55 times which is the fourth most in a season at BC. Anston finished the 2009 season ranked fourth in the ACC in doubles (22), 10th in steals (15), 12th in hits and 20th in on-base percentage (.436) and runs.
• Kowalski, a local product from Boston, became one of the most reliable arms in the bullpen last year and had a 4-1 record with a 5.10 ERA. He appeared in 28 games which were the second most on the team. He threw 30.0 innings and allowed 17 earned runs on 29 hits.
• Spatola, a utility player from nearby Milton, appeared in 42 games last year and batted .327 with four homers and 12 RBI. The former walk-on's best moment in a BC uniform came in the opening game of the Austin Regional against Texas State. With two men on and the Eagles losing 5-3 in the top of the ninth, Spatola roped a 1-1 offering over the fence in right to give BC the lead in an 8-7 win.
