Boston College Athletics
Boston College
Duke
Baseball Splits Doubleheader With Duke
March 27, 2010 | Baseball
March 27, 2010
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - The Boston College baseball team split a doubleheader with Duke on Saturday at Eddie Pellagrini Diamond at Commander Shea field, winning the first game, 5-3, before losing 5-4 in the second contest.
The Eagles (9-13, 2-6 ACC) came from behind in the first game to take the win. BC was down 3-2 heading into the bottom of the eighth, but it scored three times to take the lead, capped by senior John Spatola's game-winning two-run single.
In the second game, Duke (14-8, 3-5) scored twice in the seventh to break a 2-2 tie and then a wild pitch provided the eventual game-winning run in the top of the eighth.
GAME ONE
Boston College scored three times in the bottom of the eighth inning to win in come-from-behind fashion in game one.
Junior Garret Smith led off the eighth inning with a four-pitch walk and then sophomore Andrew Lawrence came on to pinch hit and delivered a single to put runners on the corners. Sophomore Matt Hamlet then tied the game with an RBI single.
A two-out walk to sophomore Anthony Melchionda loaded the bases and then Spatola provided the game-winning hit with a two-run single through the right side.
Sophomore Mike Dennhardt and Christopher Manno dominated the early portion of the game on the mound. Dennhardt did not allow a hit in the first three innings while Manno went 5.1 frames without giving up a base hit.
Dennhardt threw 6.0 innings and allowed three runs on five hits. He struck out three, walked four and did not figure in the decision. Manno's line was solid as he threw 7.0 innings and allowed three runs on two hits, but he walked six batters.
Junior Mickey Wiswall drove in two runs in the sixth inning with a double. Junior Kevin Moran got the win from the pen, throwing 2.0 innings and allowing one hit. Sophomore Matt Brazis earned his third save of the season.
Duke struck first in the top of the fourth inning with a run. Jake Lemmerman led off with a single, the game's first hit. He reached scoring position on a wild pitch and then Jeremy Gould singled to put runners on the corners. Will Piwnica-Worms brought in the run with a sac fly to right.
The Blue Devils added to the lead in the sixth with two runs to take a three-run advantage. Piwnica-Worms fought some pitches off and doubled down the line in right to start the frame and then Dennis O'Grady walked to put the first two runners on base. Mike Carroll got on with a bunt single to load the bases with no outs and then Eric Brady was hit by a pitch to bring in the second run. Marcus Stroman got the other run home with a sacrifice fly to center to make it 3-0.
BC got on the board in the bottom of the frame with a pair of runs to pull within one and set up the late-game heroics. Smith walked to leadoff and then senior Robbie Anston notched BC's first hit of the game to put runners on first and second. Wiswall then pulled a 2-0 pitch down the line in right for a double and two RBI to pull the Eagles within a run.
GAME TWO
Gould went 3-for-5 and drove in three runs in the second game of the day to lead the Blue Devils to the 5-4 win.
Piwnica-Worms went 2-for-4 with an RBI and Joe Pedevillano scored three times. Marcus Stroman got the win on the mound after throwing 3.0 innings of relief and allowing one run on three hits. Ben Grisz picked up his third save of the year.
Hamlet went 3-for-5 for the Eagles while freshman Matt Watson went 2-for-3 with a solo homer and two RBI. Senior Mike Sudol had an RBI double.
The two teams traded a single run in the first inning as Duke got ahead with a Piwnica-Worms double down the third base line. BC responded with an RBI single from Wiswall to make it 1-1.
Duke scored another run in the third to take a 2-1 lead. Pedevillano drew a leadoff walk and reached second on a balk. Ryan McCurdy was hit by a pitch to put two men on and they both reached scoring position on a groundout. Gould brought in a run with an infield single to give Duke the lead back.
BC tied the game in the bottom of the fifth when Watson singled in Melchionda with two outs in the frame.
The Blue Devils posted two runs in the top of the seventh to take a 4-2 lead. Pedevillano walked and Ryan McCurdy singled to put runners on first and second and then a sac bunt moved them both into scoring position. Gould brought both of them home with a double down the line in left to regain the lead.
Duke added another run in the eighth on a bases loaded wild pitch to increase the lead to 5-2. That run would prove to be the game-winner as Sudol hit an RBI double in the eighth and then Watson hit a solo home run with two outs in the ninth.
The rubber match of the series is scheduled for Sunday at noon.
